Merlin's Gift: Shift One 1978
by D. Darlynn
Summary: Harry Potter, you just saved the world, what are you going to do now? Get sent back in time with Ron, Hermione, Draco, Neville, Luna, and Hannah Abbott to learn all you need to rebuild the wizarding world. Multiple pairings both het and slash
1. Chapter 1

__

**Title**: Merlin's Gift: Shirt One 1978

**Summary**: Harry Potter, you just saved the world, what are you going to do now? Get sent back in time with Ron, Hermione, Draco, Nevelle, Luna, and Hannah Abbott to learn all you need to rebuild the wizarding world. Many pairings both slash and het.

**Disclaimer**: Not mine, just borrowing, yadda yadda yadda

**Rating**: NC-17 just be warned I'm an adult and I write adult stories. Don't be offended, just don't read.

**A/N**: This truely is a work in progress so I don't quite know how they are going to pair up. I have several books laid out in my head and I'm pretty sure that eventually, HG/RW, and NL/Hannah will end up together. This shift is focused mainly on Harry and his healing after the war. There will be a lot of HP/Luna, and a little or hints of DM/Luna, HP/Regulus, HP/DM and Possibly Many others.

_SHIFT ONE_

_CHAPTER ONE_

_It's Supposed to Be Over._

_Thank Merlin, it's over_.

Voldemort was dead, killed by his own rebounding curse. Harry stood with two wands in his hand, staring down at his enemy's shell. After a second of silence, a deafening roar reverberated through the hall.

Harry didn't know what to think. Disgust at the humanoid thing in front of him. Relief no one else would be killed. Grief for the many dead.

_Oh Merlin, it's over._

He looked over to where Ron and Hermione were rushing toward him and just reveled at the feel of their arms as they surrounded him. He leaned his head forward and placed it on one of their shoulders.  
_Oh Merlin, thank you, it's over._

Harry felt the hook behind his navel and could only grasp his two best friends harder to his chest. They landed in a tangle of arms and legs and it only took a second to realize that all three were stark naked.

"What the hell is going on?" Ron Weasley stated while covering his eyes and turning his head away from a shrieking Hermione.

"I hate freaking portkeys," Harry said.

"It wasn't a portkey you moron."

Draco Malfoy sat behind them, also starkers. Next to him, covered in nothing but blood, soot, and rubble, were Neville Longbottom, Hannah Abbott and Luna Lovegood. Harry only glanced over them to make sure they were alright before diverting his attention back to Malfoy. He had his arms wrapped around his chest in what would have looked like a very vulnerable position, if Harry hadn't known he was just hiding the mark on his arm. Standing out on Malfoy's chest, just a prominently as the scar on his own forehead, were several long silver scars.

"Do you like what you see, Scarhead?"

Harry realized he'd been staring and couldn't help the blush, "It felt like a portkey."

"One, portkeys don't land you naked. Two, I wasn't anywhere near you three but I was touching my parents and they aren't here." He said with his oh so aristocratic drawl.

"Those are very astute observations, sir." All seven teens looked up at the person speaking and gasped practically in unison. "Also, my office is only accessible by portkeys when I personally key them through the wards, which I didn't. Would you mind telling me how you landed yourselves in my office?"

Harry looked around and for the first time took in his surroundings. Most of the room was blurry due to him not having his glasses, but if he squinted he could make out some of the larger details. He could tell from the amazement on Ron and Hermione's faces that they didn't understand what was going on either but they were all sitting starkers on the floor in the headmaster's office. The paintings were all the same. The furniture was also the same. But there was definitely something fishy going on, as on the table by the window were several silver instruments that Harry knew for a fact he had destroyed at the end of his fifth year. Even more disorienting, was the sight of Albus Dumbledore sitting behind the large desk.

The room started to spin and he shook his head trying to regain some sense of balance.

"Oh Merlin. Dammit, it's supposed to be over." Harry said, catching Hermione as she fainted. Then blackness took him as well.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

The stupid hat put me where?

Harry woke to the familiar sight of the hospital wing's white ceiling. He easily identified the voices off to his right. Madam Pomfrey was briefing Dumbledore on their conditions.

"I don't think there is any reason for their collapses' other than stress. All of them have severely depleted cores. Four of them had damage in their lungs due to smoke inhalation. Two of them had exterior burns which were easily healed. All of them look like they just came out of a battle: spell damage, cuts, bruising and all but two show exposure to the cruciatus curse. Most have dark magic residue and one of them has the dark mark."

"Good gods. Which?" asked the Headmaster.

Harry sat up and Professors Dumbledore looked over at him. "It's ok; he made a really crappy death eater."

"Shut up, Potter."

"What, you want to argue with me. Say how evil you are?"

"I'm not evil."

"Which is what I was telling them."

"Could you two not fight for like five seconds while we figure out where the hell we are?"

"Hannah, I don't think where is the problem so much as when." Hermione said as she swung her legs out of her hospital bed and moved across the aisle where Ron was sitting up.

Neville started coughing and Madam Pomfrey rushed to his side. "Headmaster, I need to run down to the potions lab to get the dosage for smoke inhalation. I'll be right back."

The headmaster poored a glass of water from the pitcher on the table and handed it to Madam Pomfrey. Who handed it to Neville and then left the ward.

"When?" Neville choked out. "How could we be when?"

"Obviously the Wyllt transported us here. My father ran an article about how they fart time turner sand. One must have been in the Great Hall with us."

Harry looked to his friends and they all were looking back at him. "That's great, Luna. Do you know where we can get another one to send us back where we belong?"

"Nope. It'll pop up when it wants to."

"I did tons of research on time turners in our third year and there is no way a time turner could have done this."

Luna did not look the least bit impressed by Hermione's expertise. "So then what did? Sometimes magic doesn't always act like you think is should."

"Especially around me. So how do we get back? Or forward? Or whatever?" Harry asked again.

"Time Travelers. How fascinating. There are several incidents documented in the Headmaster Records of students spending their seventh years out of time. I'm so excited to meet you all. But you must remember that there are rules. You can not disclose anything that might change the time line."

"Excuse me sir, but what are you talking about?"

"Well, after you all passed out. The sorting hat suggested I look at the student role and there were seven new names added to the seventh years. Welcome to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry." Dumbledore said with the stupid eye twinkle thing. As if it was perfectly normal for naked kids to drop out of the ceiling claiming to be from the future.

"Seventh years? We can't attend classes here. We don't have our wands or robes or most importantly books. And what about the assignments due?" Hermione said and Harry shared an eye roll with Ron.

"Not to worry child. In the book next to your names there was a notation that the castle will provide all that you require and supplies for each of you could be found in the founders' suite on the seventh floor. Though I must admit, I was not actually aware there was a founders' suite at all."

"On the seventh floor?"

"That's what the book said. I guess we will have to do a little exploring." The man looked positively giddy at the prospect.

"That's not necessary, sir. We know where it is." Neville spoke up.

"Well great then." Dumbledore routed around in his robe pocket and pulled out a stack of papers. "Who is Neville Longbottom?"

Neville raised his hand and Dumbledore moved over and handed the top sheet to Neville. "Great, I've known quite a few Longbottoms in my time. All good People. Welcome to Ravenclaw house."

"Excuse me? I can't be in Ravenclaw."

"Of course you can. The house system here is very..."

"The house system is a load of crap." Draco put in, "This whole thing is ludicrous. There is no way that we have gone back in time. And even if we have, you can't expect us just to attend classes and act like happy little first years. People will be looking for us."

"Yeah, to send you to Azkaban."

"Shut up, Weasel. Your parents have so many kids that they might not notice one missing, but mine certainly will."

Harry thought about Fred lying dead in that Hallway. He got out of his bed and turned to address the arrogant git when the door to the hospital wing opened. Two kids entered one looked just like Harry Potter, when his hair wasn't to his shoulders and he was wearing glasses, and the other like Ginny Weasley.

"Professor Dumbledore, sir. We went to your office and Sir Nicholas told us you were here when we couldn't get in."

"Mr. Potter, Ms. Evans. Sorry I wasn't there for you orientation, I was just meeting some transfer students. As the Head Boy and Head Girl, I will expect you to help them get adjusted to the school. This is Neville Longbottom and where is... Ms. Granger?"

Hermione stepped forward to shake hands with his parents. Harry tried to remember to breathe. He'd seen them of course. The mirror, his photo album, the graveyard, the walk through the forest, but they were here. Standing right in front of him smiling and making polite small talk with his friends as Professor Dumbledore passed each of them a time table and introduced them to the Head boy and Girl. Harry was last on the list.

"Potter, wow, you look a little like me, too." James said to Harry.

_Right, Breathe, don't scream or hug them or faint_. "I guess that is one major drawback of being a pureblood. With so much inbreeding, sooner or later, someone is bound to show up wearing your face." _Right, don't be an arse either_. "Excuse me."

Harry quickly made his way over to the bathroom. He closed his eyes and leaned back against the door. He couldn't do it. He couldn't just play along with whatever torture fate had in store for him next. It was hard enough having his parents walking around alive, but if they were here then so was Sirius, Remus, and Snape. How could he face them knowing they died for him.

He moved to open the door but could still hear voices out in the wing. Ok, so he was hiding. He didn't really care if they all thought he was a coward. The windows and mirrors started to vibrate. He tried to reel in his pain but through it all, he still really sucked at Occlumency. He clinched his fist against the rising anger he was feeling and luckily got distracted from his wrath by the crinkle of parchment.

He looked down at his hand and noticed a small tattoo on the skin between his finger and thumb. He stretched out his fingers and looked at the small black M. Running up the left side of the letter was a green plant with little white flowers that sparkled like they were dusted with gold fairy dust. When the hell did he get marked?

He was about to open the door to see if the others were similarly marked when he saw the top of the paper still clinched in his hand.

**Harry James Potter **

**Slytherin House**


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

We can make a better future

Draco smirked as Potter made a dash for the loo. Poor little Scarhead, run off by his poor dead parents. Growing up in a the magical community, he knew he often took magic for granted. But this was easily the strangest thing that had ever happened to him, and he wasn't hiding in the toilet.

He glanced at the timetable he had been handed and saw the heading. Gryffindor House. Could have been worse. At least he wasn't in Hufflepuff. What would his father had said about a Malfoy in Hufflepuff.

His father. His mother. Severus. If they really were in the past, and evidence did suggest they were, then they were all out there somewhere and none of them even knew who he was. Not like he could use a false name or anything. All it would take is one look and everyone would know he was a Malfoy.

Speaking of which, Potter was an idiot. The older Potter. Well the younger one, too. But mostly the older. He hadn't made a single comment about being introduced to several people sporting pureblood names. Then again, neither had Dumbledore, really. Dumbledore. When he had handed him the timetable, Draco couldn't even bring himself to look the man in the eyes. Sure, he knew Occulmency. But still, the old coot was crafty. Draco looked up through his bangs and quickly looked away from him. He looked so vibrant. Still really old but no where near the broken mess he was on the floor of the astronomy tower.

The Weasel was an incompetent, but in this circumstance, he was right. Golden Boy saved the day and that meant aurors were going to be after him for Azkaban regardless of the fact that he didn't even really do anything all that bad. The dementors may be gone but he didn't want to go to prison. Not that he wanted to be in this hell full of gryffindors. But since he had no clue how to get out of here, he decided that the best course of action was to keep his mouth shut and his eyes open.

The mudblood stepped forward and of course started talking. The girl never shut up. "Sorry about him, we've been through a little bit of an ordeal. Our school was attacked and we lost a few of our friends. Luckily, Professor Dumbledore is allowing us to complete our seventh year here so we can get our NEWTS."

"Why are you in hospital?"

"Oh, Madam Pomfrey just wanted to do quick physicals on us. No big deal."

"Mr. Potter. Ms. Evans. You will find Professor McGonagall in her office. " Dumbledore placed a hand on each of their shoulders and started steering them toward the door. "Please tell her that I asked her to explain your duties for the coming year."

Once the headboy and girl were gone, Loony stepped over and knocked on the bathroom door. "They're gone Harry."

Potter stepped out all blushing and refusing to meet anyone's eyes, "Sorry, I just..."

"No need to explain my boy. Something about them troubled you?"

"Yeah, and I just noticed this timetable has me in Slytherin."

Draco couldn't help it. He laughed. He laughed so hard he actually fell out of his bed. He reached up to wipe the tears out of his eyes and noticed that everyone else in the room was staring at him but only Dumbledore looked amused. "Oh, come on. You have to admit that is funny. The Golden Boy in Slytherin has to be the most unlikely thing I've ever heard."

"Not as unlikely as you would imagine. Anyway. I haven't seen the sorting hat, so how could it already place us? And do any of you have a strange mark?"

Once again, all the idiots were looking at him. "Not that one. Like this." Potter held out his right hand to show the others the black spot on his hand. Draco couldn't make out what it was but frankly didn't want to get any closer to make it out. The others all looked at their own hands in surprise and Draco looked down to see there was a black M with the plant on his hand as well.

"Great. One more ugly tattoo I didn't ask for."

"Those marks are definitely something to research." Dumbledore said which Draco knew just meant 'I don't know,'"As to the sorting hat, all it would say was that you all are now enrolled. The timetables were in the book. Am I to assume that you all were placed in different houses."

Again Granger stepped up, "Yes sir, it put me in Ravenclaw but originally I was in..."

"No need to specify. Like I said earlier, it actually would be best if you kept all future knowledge to yourself as it might endanger the timeline. Huhm, I've never heard of anyone being resorted. Maybe there would be more answers in this Founder's Suite."

"You said this has happened before? Time traveling exchange students?" Granger asked

"When I became headmaster, I was let in on a few secrets, secrets which I can't tell you right now."

"Sir, if we could discuss when this happened before, we might be able to get back."

"I agree with your friend here." He put his hand on Luna's shoulder."You will get back, when the time is right. Are you all ready for some explorations?"

"Before we go, I need to ask Madam Pomfrey if she has any spare glasses. Wouldn't go to be walking into walls." Potter said. It was a pity really. With out the horrid glasses and with his hair long like it was, he was half-way decent looking.

"You probably should just ask her to charm them. With glasses you would just look even more like your dad." Granger pointed out.

"There is a charm to fix your eyes?" He actually sounded amazed.

_Yep, he's an idiot._

After Madam Pomfrey came back, she made them choke down the potion for smoke inhalation and did the quick charm on Potter's eyes. They then made their way out of the hospital wing in bare feet and hospital pajamas. Draco was sincerely glad that no one he knew was there to see him.

They stopped a little ways down from the tapestry of dancing trolls and Longbottom stepped up to pass in front of the stone wall three times. Only the headmaster was surprised when a door appeared. However, once they entered the dark little room, they were all confused.

"I expected something the founders used to be more... I don't know... more." Weasley said sounding exactly like the moron he was.

"Neville, are you sure you asked for the right thing?"

"I know how the room works, Hermione. I did practically live in here for two terms."

"Look, a door." Potter said.

The door was dark wood with a large Hogwart's crest etched on it. Around the edge of the door were a series of runes. The top left corner was the M and white flowering plant. There was no knob. Potter pushed but it didn't budge.

"I've seen this design before. It's on the back panel in the closet in my office. I always thought it was a strange place to put such detail." The Headmaster ran his fingers over the Crest. "Open by order of the Headmaster."

Still nothing happened.

Dumbledore stepped back, "This old castle is full of mystery. She never ceases to amaze me."

"Right. Longbottom, I thought you were going to ask it for our school supplies." Draco sneered. Standing in the dark little room with so many other people was really starting to get on his nerves.

"No, I asked it for the Founder's Suite. And since ..." The door swung open.

Potter stepped forward and entered the large common room first. The room was an elongated oval. At the end closest to the door they just opened was a round table with eight chairs. At the other end of the room was a sitting area and a large fire place. The walls were lined with over a dozen doors. The ceiling either held the same enchantment as the great hall or actually looked up at the night sky.

All seven turned at the pop behind them. The headmaster was sprawled on the floor.

"Are you okay, sir?" Potter stepped forward to help the old coot up. Draco schooled himself to not laugh.

"It seems the room really didn't want me to enter. Pity."

"I guess the ugly tattoos are worth something. Thank Merlin, I won't have to actually stay with those stupid Gryffindors."

"I'm sorry Mr. Malfoy but I can't allow any of you to stay where the school staff can't enter, there may be an emergency. You will be expected to stay in your house dormitories regardless of your personal feelings."

"Could you call one of the house elves?"

Dumbledore gave Draco an odd look but still called out for Tippy. The elf popped right up next to him. "Headmaster sir?"

"Can you enter this room?" Draco asked the elf

"Of course, sir?" The elf moved forward and Draco clapped his hands together. "Great. See Headmaster, School staff can enter the room. Elf, I honestly can't remember the last time I ate. Bring dinner."

"Oh, please do. And pumpkin juice." Longbottom rubbed his raspy throat.

"I would love an apple." Loony said still staring at the ceiling.

"I'm starving myself." Weasley added.

"I think she gets the idea guys." Grager is such a bitch.

"Sir," Potter said "Not that I want to agree with Malfoy or anything, but I agree with Malfoy. I can't sleep in a room full of Slytherins."

"Mr. Potter, I would hope you would not be prejudice against someone just because of the house they are in. Each house..."

"No sir, my concern is more like, I wake up from a nightmare with Snape leaning over my bed and then I cruciate him."

"I hardly think you would do something so unforgiveable."

"I'm sure that's what Amycus Carrow thought, too. Oh look, how the starlight twinkles around the room like fairies, it's just beautiful." Loony moved farther into the room and Draco reveled in the blush staining perfect Potter's face.

"Sir, I really can't sleep with the Slytherins."

"Try it before you make such a blanket statement."

"Look here." Hannah moved to the walls where there was a door with a large red G. On one side of the door was a trunk with the initials HA on the other DM.

Sounds of excitement echoed through the common room but Draco didn't really care about anyone else. All that mattered was that when he opened the lid to his truck, sitting right on top was a long thin box. The wand inside wasn't hawthorn. He didn't know what it was and frankly he didn't care. The magic flowed through him and came out in pink sparkles from the tip of the wand. Finally, after so long he felt like a real wizard again. He caught sight of Potter off to his right making sparks of his own. Draco really couldn't help sending off a quick stinging hex.

"What the hell are you doing?"

"Just making sure it works. Calm down."

Luckily, the arrival of the elves with several platters of food prevented Potter from making whatever murderous action he was going to make next.

"There is no need for me to stand here watching you eat. I will send an elf back later to show you where you can stay for the night."

"I'm sure some of these doors lead to bedrooms. Honestly, we will be fine Headmaster." Granger said.

He looked like he was going to argue but instead turned back to the elf, "There are rooms here ready for use?"

"Yes sir, we's always keeping the suite up. They's fine."

"You will be reassinged to watch over them."

"Thank yous, Headmaster Sir."

The old coot finally moved off and the door shut quietly on its own. For several long minutes the only sounds made were knives scraping plates and Weasley's god awful smacking. The idiot had no manners and was wolfing down dinner rolls like he hadn't eaten in a week.

Lovegood was the one to finally break the silence. "I bet this is your reward, Harry, for saving the world and all."

"Reward? If fate wanted to give me a reward, I would rather of had a week of uninterrupted sleep. And it isn't as if I did it by myself."

"You're not here by yourself are you?"

"It still doesn't make any since, Luna. Why would they send us here as a reward for killing Voldemort. He's alive here."

"And if that was the reason, I wouldn't be here." Hannah said. "I didn't really do anything."

"You fought in the battle." Longbottom blushed when when she looked at him.

"So did a lot of people."

"I don't think it matters why we're here." Potter said. "I just want to get back. He's dead. I'm supposed to be able to live now without that whole destiny thing hanging over my head."

"We could kill him, now." They all stopped eating to stare at Longbottom.

"Neville, if we did that, the whole time line could change." Granger said.

"Exactly. Harry and I grow up with parents. All those people who died, don't."

"There are laws regarding time travel. Horrible things happen to wizards who mess with the future."

"I agree with Neville." Weasley said actually putting down the chicken leg he was holding. "We could kill him now. We're the only ones who can. Harry is still Harry even if the prophecy hasn't been made yet."

"I don't know what you mean, Ron. I was listening to Harry in the great hall when he dueled him. All that stuff about his wand and Draco's wand and Dumbledore's wand. Draco doesn't even have his wand now." Hannah said.

"It's not a matter of the wands. We can do it."

Draco still wasn't convinced about this idea. "I'm not sure I'm ready to bet my existence on the off chance that you think you could make life better."

"I think if we killed him now, it would be better. Like Neville said, him and I would actually grow up with parents who love us. And your dad came out of the first war just fine, Imperio my ass. Anyway, it wasn't until Voldemort came back that things went to shit for him and your family. Admit it."

"Well I still vote no. It's too dangerous." Granger said like her say so was all that mattered.

"I don't think your vote counts." Draco pointed out. "Your parents are muggles, regardless of what we do here, you'll still be born. Potter was correct, Voldemort coming back was the worst thing that ever happened to my family and nothing means more to me than them."

"I vote yes." Said Hannah. "I want my mom to live."

"Yes" said Longbottom

"Yes" said Weasel

"We can make it better, Hermione." Potter pleaded.

"But if there is no Voldemort, then there would be no Quirell, and without Quirell there would be no troll. And with no troll we wouldn't be friends. Everything is connected."

"So you being friends with those two is more important than my mother being tortured to death."

"That's not what I mean, Hannah. I mean we don't know how many things we could mess up. Like Malfoy said. Our very existences could be on the line."

"I would give up my life to save the people I love. Frankly, I already did." Potter got up from the table and moved into the sitting area.

"Luna, you haven't voted." Weasley said

"What will be will be."

"In Luna land that means yes. Are you with us or not, Hermione."

"As if you had to even ask. Of course I'm with you."

"Tippy!"

"Ron, you shouldn't call the elves like that. She may have been doing something important."

"Yes sir?"

"Tippy would you bring us a bottle of firewhisky and some glasses please."

"I'm not allowed to give spirits to the students sir."

"Then it is a good thing we are not students until tomorrow." Weasley pointed out.

"We are all of age." Longbottom added.

The elf looked indecisive for a few seconds before popping out and then back with a silver tray. She placed the serving tray on the table then popped back out.

Weasley pored the firewhiskey into the seven shot glasses and each student reached out and grabbed one except for Draco. Hannah picked his up and thrust it into his hand. He wouldn't have taken it except getting pissed actually sounded like the best idea he ever heard.

Granger lifted her glass, "To a better future."

The others echoed her sentiment but Draco just knocked down the shot. He shook his head to rid his eyes of the burn of the liquor. Granger however let her tears fall and chocked back a sob. "We thought we lost you, Harry. You were so still and Hagrid said you were de...dead."

She lunged forward wrapping her arms around Potter. The Weasel came up behind her and wrapped his arms around them both. Loony, Longbottom and Abbott stepped forward to join the embrace. All six crying and babbling on about people who died in the fight.

The battle. Merlin, it was just a matter of hours. Sort of. Anyway, it was awful, but Draco didn't feel like blubbering on like a second year Hufflepuff. He bit back at least a dozen snide comments at their over emotional display. Finally he decided the best thing to do was to step forward and liberate the whiskey from the table.

Obviously the lesser beings couldn't handle it. The image of Vincent Crabbe entered his mind for just a minute before he was able to black out his emotions and clear his mind just like he had been taught. He settled himself on the high back chair in front of the fire and took a swig straight from the bottle.

88888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888

A/N. I don't have a beta so please feel free to point out my mistakes. I got a pretty thick skin.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Just another sorting ceremony

Draco woke with a sharp pain in his neck. He didn't know if it was caused by sleeping the chair or the squeaking elf voice but frankly he didn't care. He could hear one of the others addressing the elf. They had all fallen asleep in a tangle of limbs right there on the rug. As they each groaned and stretched rising to their feet, Draco smirked. At least their night hadn't been anymore pleasant than his.

"What did the elf want?" Not that he really cared but he didn't like the way none of them seemed to notice he was even there.

"The headmaster wants to meet us in his office after breakfast."

Draco didn't really give a damn what the headmaster wanted and he wasn't going anywhere till he got a shower. Then he noticed his trunk was gone. "Toppy." Nothing happened. "Tissy."

"Her name is Tippy." Granger said and the elf popped up with their breakfast on a large tray. Draco reached over and helped himself to a croissant.

"Whatever. Bring coffee and where is my trunk?"

"The headmaster says to move them to your dorms."

"Well you can move them right back."

"The headmaster says..."

"I don't care what the headmaster says. I am not spending another minute in these striped pajamas. You will bring my trunk back this instant."

"You can move our things back to the dorms during the sorting feast, Tippy." The elf gave her the closest thing he had ever seen to an elf giving someone an exacerbated look, then it popped off. Wow. They hadn't even been here twenty four hours and she had already pissed off the elves. He couldn't wait till she started to mention the SPEW crap.

"Hermione, I don't want to stay in the dorms."

"I know, Harry. But the headmaster said we had to. This Dumbledore doesn't know us. They are still in a war. He has a right to be cautious. If we don't go along with him, he might expel us, then how will we get home."

Draco tuned out their argument and moved to the door where his and Hannah Abbot's trunk had been last night. It opened into a large red and gold bedroom. The wall to the left was covered in a large family tree. Draco only glanced at it, but he could tell it went back even farther than the Malfoy Tapestry. The room only had one window that looked down at the quidditch pitch. Oddly, the only picture in the room showed what he could only assume was the Gryffindor common room. There was an empty portrait frame over the bed.

A connecting door lead to a spectacular bathroom. The tile and tub alone put the prefect's bathroom to shame. Finally. He rushed back out to the common room and routed through his newly delivered trunk till he came up with a clean set of robes. The robes were standard issue and nowhere near as nice as his personaly tailored ones but at least they weren't striped. And bless it all, the elf had brought coffee. He poured himself a cup black and took it with him into the bath.

He was just settling back into the heavenly warm water and the bite of caffeine when Longbottom, Weasley, and Potter entered. "Hello, morons? Can't you see this room is occupied?"

Potter had moved over to one of the two sinks and was actually brushing his teeth the muggle way. Idiot, he should just use a charm like any good wizard. It was Longbottom who answered. "There are only two bathrooms. The Slytherin and Gryffindor bedrooms both connect to this one. One the other side of the common room are the Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw bedrooms that share a bath. We figured the boys could use this one and the girls would use the other."

"And you three were so anxious for the sight of me in the bath you couldn't wait till I was done?"

"Don't be such a girl, Malfoy." Weasley said dropping his pajama bottoms on the floor. Draco had to look away quick less he be blinded by freckles. "We've all shared a dorm before." He then stepped into the large shower room.

Potter followed him in in all his naked glory and Draco this time couldn't look away. He had forcibly been denying himself from even thinking about anything from the final battle but Potter's muscular back brought back the feeling of clinging to him on the back of that broom as fire snapped at their heels.

He heard a throat clearing off to his left and looked over to Longbottom who had his eyebrow cocked. Dear Merlin. He had just been caught staring at Harry Bloody Potter. Longbottom moved off to the toilet.

Draco quickly rinsed out the potion cleaning and moisturizing his hair so he could get out without an wrapped one of the fluffy towels around him and picked up the robes he had brought in. Longbottom said the Slytherin Room had opened to this bathroom. Draco crossed the room to the door across where he entered the bath and sure enough, it opened into a silver and green bedroom fit for a prince.

A lot of the features were like Gryffindor's room only better as they were much more tastefully decorated. There was a family tree, a framed picture of the Syltherin Common room and a window. Only this window didn't look out over the quidditch pitch. It was like an observation bubble right under the lake the same as his dorm room down in the dungeon.

He changed into the clean robes before looking around once more, pocking in drawers and the wardrobe before existing back to the common room. Hannah was just coming out of the door opposite of him.

"This place is so neat. That door leads down to a court yard and greenhouse. One, I've never seen before. The one right next to it leads to Hufflepuff's bedroom and there is a window that looks out over the whomping willow. I don't even know how all these rooms lead to different places around the castle."

"It's called magic Abbott. Perhaps you've heard of it."

"Don't talk to me like that, Draco. I'm not a Gryffindor."

"I thought you were placed in Gryffindor with me."

"I am. But you know what I mean. Anyway, this place is amazing. That door there leads to a potions lab."

"Really." He was about to open the indicated door when the annoying elf popped up.

"Sirs and Ma'ams. Headmaster would like to be seeing you."

"Unn Huhn." Draco turned back to Hannah. "Did any of these doors lead anywhere near the headmaster's office? I don't really care to traipse down seven flights of stairs."

"I don't know. I haven't tried any over by the fireplace. Tippy will you alert the others that Headmaster Dumbledore is waiting for us?"

Draco surveyed the room. Across from the fireplace was the door they had come into from the room of requirement. Counter clockwise, the first door is the one Hannah indicated was a potions lab. Then Slytherin's bedroom. There was a large space of wall and he assumed that's where the bathroom was as the next door was Gryffindor's. Draco opened the door next to Gryffindor's and found a large armory and sparing area.

"Wow, wish the DA had a room like that to train in." Hannah turned around to where the others were starting to gather. "Guys, come check this out."

Draco had no wish to gawk like little first years so moved down the wall to the next door. It opened to a very small space filled with mops and broom. He was about to close the door when the light glimmered off a golden doorknob on the far wall. Draco looked back and loony was the closest one to him. "Lovegood, hold this door open for me."

"Planning to apply for a house elf position?"

"Clever weasel. Think of that one all by yourself? It's no wonder you need to borrow Granger's brain." He managed to make his way across the small closet thankfully without stepping in a bucket. He turned the knob and the far wall opened up to the entrance way right outside the great hall. "Excellent. Tippy."

"Yes sir?"

"While we are meeting with the headmaster, clean out this closet."

"Mister Filch needs those supplies."

"We need to be able to walk through this room."

"I think I found the closet the Headmaster was talking about." Hannah called from the other side of the room. The door she had opened was to a closet much the size of the one Draco had found only instead of cleaning supplies, it held a multitude of extremely gaudy robes.

"We can walk straight into the headmaster's office."

"Why are you waiting." Longbottom asked, " He said he wanted to see us."

"We just can't barge our way into his office. It's rude." Granger said.

"Well I am not going to walk when there is a perfectly good shortcut."

"I think we should use the door Malfoy found by the great hall. It's not that long a walk to the gargoyle from there."

Draco felt like pulling his hair out. Except that would be a sin against perfectly good hair. Maybe he should rip out her bushy hair. It would only be an improvement. How on earth did these people actually win the war when every little thing had to be decided on by committee?

"I hate you people. If the headmaster asks, I was tired from the journey." Draco then turned and stalked to the door to the potions lab.

He spent the entire afternoon in Slytherin's lab. There were ingredients in the cupboard that he knew had not existed for hundreds of years. The snidgit feathers alone would fetch him a thousand galleons each. And the demiguise eyes were the main ingredient in a potion to see through invisibility cloaks. So there, Potter.

Draco hummed to himself as he began to organize the cabinet just as Professor Snape had taught him when he was seven. The previous system seemed to be by class. Draco preferred his potion parts to be in alphabetical order. He only got to the H ingredients when Granger interrupted him.

"Wow, This room is great. Did you poke around any of the other rooms."

"No."

"Oh. You didn't miss much with the Headmaster. He wanted us to go with the James and Lily on the Express to pick up the kids. We were able to talk him out of it."

"Huh." Draco wondered what the hell she thought she was doing.

"We had a long talk over lunch about what we needed to accomplish here to change things. Everyone agreed to make a timeline of the known death eater activity."

"Huh." Draco not quite said again. She was still nattering on and finally he couldn't take it. "Did you come in for a reason?"

"Time to go to the Great Hall."

Draco made a notation of the ingredient he was handling and placed the small glass bottle on the shelf. "Don't talk to me like we are friends."

"We are all in this together. And if..."

"Whatever. I'll see you in the entrance hall."

The entrance hall was full of very short people. When did first years get so small? And there were so many of them. All looking nervous and scared. It was only a few minutes before McGonagall showed up to escort the little dwarfs inside to be sorted.

Draco had spent the entire time waiting on the other side of the hall from his fellow time travelers. Their incessant prattling and obnoxious voices carried easily through the empty hall but Draco didn't even care to listen. He had started to feel nervous about facing a room full of people, most of which were dead. Some of which were people he loved but they wouldn't love him here. They didn't know him. He ran through his Occlumency exercises. It was a good twenty minutes before McGonagall came back into the hall to escort them inside.

"Now that our first years are settled, I have the great honor of introducing you to seven new transfer students. They went through a very traumatic experience at their last school and I ask everyone here to make them welcome by not asking about it. Being a good friend means knowing when to push and more importantly, when to sit back and allow them their secrets. Now, they were previously sorted so at least we don't have too much longer till we can get on with the feast. Ron Weasley and Luna Lovegood will be joining the Hufflepuff House. Draco Malfoy and Hannah Abbott will be joining Gryffindor. Neville Longbottom and Hermione Granger are now Ravenclaws and Harry Potter was chosen for Slytherin. Welcome."

The students in the great hall gave polite applause and the seven of them went to their allotted tables. Draco moved over to where the seventh year Gryffindors were seated and saw that there was only one open seat, between Lupin and Pettigrew. A rat or a dirty filthy animal.  
Yuck. He looked around to see if there was any other seat when he caught Potter's eye. He had a worried look on his face and for a second Draco wondered if Potter actually cared for his unhappiness. Didn't matter. Draco moved further down the line and asked a red headed girl to make room for him on the bench.

Dinner was great like always. That alone was enough to remind Draco of home. He listened to the gossip around him cataloguing any interesting facts he could. He was going to be living with these people; he needed to know who to defer to and who was beneath his notice. He also found his gaze repeatedly go up and down the Slytherin table. It was amazing how many people he could pick out. His mother. Severus. Blaise's Mother. Several of his father's associates.

Potter looked utterly miserable sitting at the Slytherin table. The Slytherins looked on with bored detachment but they weren't fooling Draco. Seven years, most of which he was the undeniable prince, had taught him how to read his people. The seventh years were practically humming with excitement to get back to the common room and start the initiations.

The houses started to file out of the great hall and Slytherin house collided with the Gryffindors. Draco grabbed at Potter's sleeve has they passed and pulled him into a little alcove. Then his brain caught up with his body's actions. He couldn't believe he was actually going to warn the little berk about what to expect. Potter cut him off though.

"Look Malfoy, you do anything to hurt or out Remus and I will make you wish you had never been born."

"Excuse me?"

"I know how you feel about him and what he is. I saw the way you looked at him before you sat down. If you tell anyone about him, you will regret it."

Potter walked off in righteous indignation and Draco didn't stop him. Let him face the initiations, the prat.

888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888

Just as a **warning**, so far Chapter 5 is leaning into the adult material. Okay, not leaning so much as jumped right in with both feet. I figure I'll try and write both five and six at the same time and I'll post a little summary of five at the top of six. So, if you don't want to read the sex and violence stuff, skip straight to six. If I'm late posting next week, it's because I'm doing two chapters at once.

Also, not to beg for reviews or anything. But Please Please Please, this is me down on my knees. Please review. I want to know if I'm wasting my time on this story.


	5. Chapter 5

Content Warning: Sex and Violence. Ch. 5 Recap at top of Ch. 6 post for those who would rather not read.

Chapter 5

Slytherin Initiations

The Slytherin dorm looked exactly like it did the time he and Ron had tricked Malfoy into letting them in their second year. The students settled around the common room and the two seventh year prefects, MacNair and Narcissa Malfoy, stepped forward. No one had actually said anything to him. It was kind of weird. In Gryffindor, they would have been all over a new kid with welcomes, and questions, and smiles. Not so here. He had spent dinner studing the kids at the table trying to figure out how many of them had tried to kill him in the past, while they ignored him. There was only that overly polite coldness that his aunt loved so much. Harry settled back away from the main body of kids with his back to the wall but the path to the door clear.

"Hi everyone, I'm Narcissa Black." Black of course. Harry made a mental note not to call her Malfoy. "Slytherin is an ancient house and our reputation is foremost. The other houses, the professors, everyone, is against us. There will be no fights among Slytherins outside of this room. Leave your grievances in house. If you have a problem, go to your mentor. Now, Third years on that wall, First years over there."

The two years lined up and MacNair asked the thirds if there were any preferences. One boy stepped up and pointed at a little blonde first year girl. No one else showed any preference and MacNair quickly paired them off.

"What is going on?" Harry asked the girl sitting next to him. He didn't recognize her but she seemed nice enough. She lacked that perpetual scowl all the other Slytherns seemed to wear.

"Mentors. Upper years watch out for the younger years."

Harry hated to admit that Slytherin did something better than Gryffindor but he would have liked having someone older to go to with his problems. Someone other than the Weasley twins which admittedly caused more mischief among the younger years then any ten people. The second years were paired with fourth years, the third years with fifth and the fourth years with sixth. As they years progressed, more students were hand picked.

"Now, if there are no more questions, fourth years and younger, get on up to your dorms. Classes start much earlier than you think."

Once the youngsters had cleared out, the mood in the room shifted. The fifth years lined up against the wall and the seventh years took to walking up and down the line. Harry didn't move and neither did the girl next to him, who he learned was Clarie Smith a sixth year. Narcissa stepped forward first.

"Regulus, you're with me."

There were groans throughout the room, "Cissy, you really shouldn't baby him like that. He needs to prove himself just like the others."

"He's my cousin. I know the value of family so just back off Walden."

Harry leaned over to Clarie and asked softly, "What am I missing now?"

"Fifth years hardly need mentoring. I lucked out last year because my brother was a seventh year last year and he protected me like Cissy is doing for Regi."

"Protecting from what?"

MacNair stepped forward. "My turn. I was really hoping to get little Reg. Oh well. Yaxley. You are mine for the rest of the year. You can start by sucking me off."

Harry couldn't believe it. Yaxley, who Harry had last seen hexing people during the battle, actually fell to his knees in front of MacNair. MacNair opened his robe and slipped it off his shoulders never taking his eyes off the small boy in front of him. Once the robe was out of the way, Yaxley reached up and unbuttoned MacNair's trousers and took out his hard cock.

Harry was absolutely mesmerized. Regardless of the jokes made about boarding school dorms, Harry had never seen anything like this. Other than those few stolen kisses with Ginny during sixth year and those magazines belonging to the twins, he had no experience in sex at all. He felt himself growing hard and shifted his robes to hide it as he stood.

"Where are you going, New Kid."

"To the dorm." Harry said. MacNair had a crazy look in his eye. He may be only 17, but he was only one step away from the killer of helpless hippogriffs that Harry knew so well.

"You have not been dismissed yet." Another seventh year said as he stepped up behind the chair where MacNair sat. Yaxley didn't even pause in his bobbing.

"Leave him alone, Avery. He doesn't know us."

"It's time he learn, Cissy. Can't make you a mentor can we? You're smaller than most of the fifth years. Cute too with that long hair." Avery said addressing Harry. "Guess you'll just have to be a bitch. Snape, not the Potter you want on his knees but if you squint your eyes and tilt your head, he could pass for our illustrious head boy."

"I can think of a few chores for a Potter bitch." Snape said stepping forward.

"I'm no one's bitch."

"Get over here, New Kid, and kiss my boots."

"Get over here and kiss my ass." Enough was enough. Harry may have wanted to avoid a fight at first, but there was no way he was going to let these deatheaters push him around. Seeing Snape at dinner had been a conflicting experience. After the revelations of Snape's memories, Harry was actually feeling he would try and get to know Snape. Then again, seven years of hatrid were hard to discount. Right now Harry was remembering why he hated Snape so thoroughly. Harry flicked his wrist bringing his wand out of his holster and into his hand. The fold of his robes obscured anyone else from seeing the length of wood in his hand.

"You will do what you are told." Snape sneered.

"Or?"

"Or I'll make you."

"Really? Did you brush up on your Imperious over the summer? Because that is the only way anyone would ever kiss any part of you."

Snape moved his wand up but Harry didn't hesitate long enough to even figure out what it was Snape was trying to cast. If he was lucky it really would be _Imperio_ considering Harry could just throw it off. Damn greasy git had gone straight to a cutting hex not that Harry was anywhere near it when it flew past his previous position.

Harry had entered catch the snitch mode. No thinking. No planning. No doubts. Harry shot off offensive spell after offensive spell barely stopping to cast shields or counter curses to the hexes Snape was throwing. He just used those seeker reflexes of his to dodge the spell lights. Finally he was in arms length. He shot up in front of Snape, grabbed the wand out of his hand and then cast a silent _levicorpus_.

"I'm no hem kisser. Remember that." Harry admitted to himself that he felt a little satisfaction at the turn out of the duel. Last time he went up against Snape, he didn't fair near as well.

Up to this point the other Slytherins had remained out of the fight. A quick movement to his left alerted him that had changed. He threw up a _protego_ and again battle ensued. This time almost all the seventh years and even some of the sixth years had started throwing hexes at him.

Harry just rolled with the spells the same way he rolled with bludgers. Though to be honest, Quidditch only had two bludgers. He had no idea how many spells continued to be thrown in his direction. He saw two spells coming at once. The one from the right was a disarming charm and the one on the left was green. Intellectually, he didn't think seventh years would actually throw a killing curse. It was probably something simple. But he would rather take the _expelliarmus_ than the green. He gripped his wand tight preparing to fight the spell. Only he didn't feel a tug on his wand. He didn't feel anything.

"_Ennervate_." He didn't know which of the leering faces was the one that woke him up. Though there were far fewer people milling around the common room.

_Dammit. Was a stunner not a disarming charm. I need some sleep._

It only took him a few seconds to evaluate his options. No wand. Bound up tight, probably _Incarcerous_, as he didn't see this bunch of idiotic pureblood, death eater wantabe's actually going out to fetch rope.

_OK, If it's a spell, it can be broken._

"Time to learn some manners." MacNair said then he shot off a bludger hex that slammed into Harry's stomach. It hurt. Nothing like a _crucio_, but it definitely wasn't fun. "It seems you need to be schooled in basic fear. When your betters tell you to do something, you do it."

Harry spit and it landed on the tip of MacNair's boot. Then he smiled. Keep them off balance till he could get the damn spell broken. Don't act like a Gryffindor. Act like a Slytherin. He needed sarcasm. What would Malfoy say in a situation like this?

_Please don't hurt me. I'll kiss your boots. _

_Screw that. _

Harry went with the Gryffindor response. "I'm sorry Mr. Prefect. I was so busy kicking all of your asses that I forgot to be afraid today. Maybe you could get another dozen or so minions to see if they can be wizard enough to take me all on at once?"

"I don't need any help in showing you your place in the world. Put him in position boys." Four of the others came forward and immobalized him. One holding to each ankle and the other two pushing him down by his shoulders across the back of the sofa. He couldn't name any of the ones holding him. He looked back over his shoulder where MacNair was standing with Avery on one side and Snape on the other.

"Thought you didn't need help."

"Not for this I don't." He flipped up Harry's robe and reached around to undo his belt.

_Oh hell no. Oh hell no. _

The windows started to rattle but it wasn't enough. MacNair was pulling down his zipper.

"NO."

The magic whipped out making what happened to his Aunt Marge look tame. The people holding him were picked up and thrown into the air. They landed stunned along with three people standing behind him. Harry found himself on all fours.

Harry shakily got to his feet. He had to grab on the back of a nearby sofa to keep from falling back down. Several students stood back against the walls but none even made a move. Harry saw his wand laying under a table and without a word, the wand summoned to his hand. With his other, he held his pants closed. He looked to Snape, McNair, and the other Slytherin's unconscious on the common room floor.

_Time to make for the hills._

The portal was just a few feet away. As he moved past where MacNair lay, Harry brought back his foot and kicked him in the ribs as hard as he could.

8888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888

Not as graphic as it was. I actually toned it down a lot.

Please don't forget to review.


	6. Chapter 6

For those who wanted to skip Five due to the content warning. Here's what you missed.

CH. 5- RECAP- The Slytherin's have a very strict hierarchy. There is a mentoring system, first years are assigned to third, second to fourth, third to fifth, fourth to six. Fifth years don't need mentors so much but are still assigned to seventh years as sort of servant/slaves. Students from rich and powerful families get off much easier than students from poorer families but it gives those students a way to curry favor through special skills and well sex. It is consensual as the students want the seventh years to look after them. The seventh year prefect, MacNair, decides to give Harry to Snape. Obviously our Harry doesn't take to kindly to that. Battle ensues. After almost all the Slytherin gang up, Harry loses. MacNair decides that to show Harry who's boss and attempts to rape him. Harry's magic kicks in and protects him leaving all the attackers stunned.

Now on to the next part.

Chapter 6

Breakfast with the Gryffs

Harry woke to pain. It radiated through ever appendage and pounded through his head. He cracked open his eyes and saw Mrs. Malfoy leaning over him. That's right. He died. He stood there like an idiot and allowed Voldemort to cast the killing curse at him.

"Don't worry Mrs. Malfoy, your son is in the castle."

"I think they gave you brain damage. It's what you deserve acting like that. You would think your parents didn't raise you to know your station." She reached behind his shoulders and attempted to raise him to a sitting position. "Regulus, did you get the potion."

"Here, Cissy."

Narcissa pressed the bottle to his mouth and Harry pressed his lips together and moved his head away. "It's just a pain reliever."

Potions was not his best subject, but he had been in the Hospital wing enough to know a basic pain reliever. "It's yellow."

"And?"

"Pain Relievers are blue."

"They are not. Just take the potion."

"That's okay. I'm fine. Where are we?"

"Prefects bathroom. We found you passed out in the hall."

Harry sat up. His ribs throbbed. He was starving. And Regulus Black was looking at him very funny. "Uh... Thanks. What time is it?"

"Breakfast time."

"Why did you follow me out of the common room?"

"What makes you think we were following you? Now get up, the great hall awaits."

Harry tried to take a deep breath but his ribs weren't participating. He settled on a few shallow breaths then got to his feet. "You guys better go on. It's probably in your best interests not to be seen with me."

Regulus spoke to him for the first time since Harry woke. "Don't be stupid. Being seen with you won't be a problem. You won."

"Great. Still... I could use a few minutes to get cleaned up. You two go on ahead."

Neither looked like they wanted to leave but thankfully they did. Harry went over to the sink and splashed some water on his face. His vision was blurry and it took him a minute to remember he had to do the vision correction charm. Damn that was annoying. Hermione wasn't around and he really didn't feel like going to find her so he did it himself. He looked awful and that was with his vision fixed, though it kept getting blurry off to the side. His lip was split and the circles under his eyes were closer to black than purple. He wished he could do some healing charms but settled on a glamour to hide the worst of it.

His ribs hurt like hell from what ever spell MacNair hit him with it. He wished he had taken the potion. He needed to get downstairs for his books. He had a full schedule today going from breakfast to after dinner. None of which he would be able to do without his books but going down to Slytherin rated right up there with spending the summer at the Dursley's in things he really hoped he never had to do again. Actually, he didn't.

He managed to make it up to the seventh floor and asked for the Founder's Suite. "Tippy." He called once inside.

"Yes Master."

"Call me Harry."

"Yes Master Harry."

"Look, I need my stuff from the dorm brought up here."

"Headmaster Dumbledore said yous to stay in the Slytherin room."

Damn the interfering man. Harry looked up to get his bearings remembering that he liked house elfs and abusing this one would get him no closer to his books and a clean robe. "And I will. Move my stuff into the Slytherin bedroom."

Harry didn't give the elf anymore time to argue with him. He moved to the Slytherin bedroom and opened the door. The elf popped out behind him. He hadn't really taken a good look at the bedroom during their previous wanderings but it was large and wouldn't actually be a hardship to stay in. One thing though was very different. This room had a picture of the common room like the other bedrooms had. But it wasn't just a picture like they had thought. Now there were kids milling around. This was a reflection of the actual common room. MacNair, Snape and Avery were sitting in front of the fire place.

"I wish it had sound."

"You just put the tip of your wand on the frame."

Harry looked up over the bed there was a portrait he hadn't noticed before. He didn't know how he could have missed it as it was life sized. "Are you Slytherin?"

"This is my room. Who else would you expect?"

"Of course."

"Go ahead. Put your wand on it before they go down to breakfast." Harry did.

_MacNair was speaking. "I don't know what happened. I still think someone aided him."_

_"The others said he did it." Snape said reasonably._

_"He can't be that powerful. He would be here right now exerting his dominance instead of running scared and hiding."_

There was a pop behind him and he looked back at his trunk. Tippy had not stuck around and Harry had a moment of guilt for upseting her. He moved over to his trunk. It didn't look molested. His provided robes and books were intact. Harry took a very quick shower and put on his robe. He pulled out his timetable to see what books he needed. This morning was defence and healing. He figured he would come back at lunch for the afternoon books. His ribs throbbed and carrying a large book bag would probably not help. Maybe he could get Madam Pomfrey to look at them during their healing class.

He headed to the great hall through the short cut they found previously. He was hungry but he didn't want to have to deal with the stares. First day of class and already he was drawing undue attention to himself. It was insane. He finally got to a place where no one knew he was the boy who lived and he goes and shows them what a freak he is. But he was going to be damned if he would let those bastards think they had gotten to him. The hall was about half full and the Slytherin table more than half. Several sat up and took notice of his entrance. MacNair leaned over and nudged Avery with his elbow. Harry let his eyes pass down the table without pausing on them.

_See you bastards. I'm not afraid, you are just beneath me_.

He reached the Gryffindor table before he remembered that he was actually supposed to eat with the Slytherins.

_Screw them all._

He sat down.

88888888888888888888888888888888888888

Draco was not happy. He hadn't slept at all last night. The red and gold was as oppressive as the never ending string of questions from the four seventh year Gryffindor's he was having to room with. He had drifted off past midnight only to dream of fiendfyre and wake to freaking red and gold. He couldn't go back to sleep after that because Pettigrew snored louder than Crabbe and Goyle combined.

He got up to take a shower and went down to the common room. He was just thinking of escaping back to the Founder's Suite when Black stumbled down the stairs. "Good morning Pretty Boy." Sirius said as he plopped down on the couch next to him. "Ready to get some chow."

"Chow? What are you a dog?"

Sirius chocked on a laugh and Draco remembered that Sirius was a dog. "Come on. Let's get some food."

"James and Remus will be down in a little bit." Black stammered and Draco wondered if he knew how to tie his shoes without guidance. He was definitely the Weasley of the bunch.

"I don't feel like waiting."

Sirius looked torn then followed him out the portal. Draco smirked inside. Sirius was no Crabbe or Goyle but Draco couldn't wait to see the look on Potter's face when he got a look at his new goon. Habit alone had him glancing down the Gryffindor table to do his morning Potter check but it wasn't till after he spotted him that he realized that isn't actually where Potter belonged.

"You're an idiot. See the pretty snake on your robe? That means you sit over there." Draco said pointing across the hall at the Slytherin table. So far this little jaunt into the past had been nothing but a pain in the ass. At least mocking the golden boy was familiar if not as fun as it used to be. Potter looked around the hall then down the Gryffindor table before looking back at Draco. Draco felt a moment of pity at the weariness in those bright green eyes. Then Potter opened his mouth.

"I'm in a dorm full of fuckwits."

"Wow, a smart snake." Sirius plopped down in the seat across from Harry. "That doesn't mean that you are welcome at our table."

At that moment, Hannah came bounding into the great hall and sat next to Harry. "This place is so great. Lily is amazing."

"That's what I always heard." Potter looked to the doors where Longbottom and Granger were walking behind a group of Ravenclaws. They spotted Potter and veered off toward the Gryff table. They sat on the bench next to Sirius and helped themselves to muffins and tea.

"Dear Merlin, we're being invaded." Black laughed and looked up to James and Remus who had just entered.

"Is there a problem here?" Professor McGonagall asked coming up behind Sirius.

"Just breakfast, Professor." Granger said sounding much less sycophantic than he remembered her being.

"I understand you are not used to the way we do things here, but you need to be at your house tables to get your time tables."

Weasel and Lovegood joined the party sitting on the other side of Potter, "We have our time tables already, Professor." Loony said.

"Be that as it may. You need to be with your houses."

"Why?" Lovegood asked. Draco didn't know how McGonagall could stand looking the girl in the eye. If he didn't know better he would swear Loony knew Legilimency. Her stare just bored right through you.

Not really caring to hear anymore, Draco moved down to the other end of the table. Sirius got up and followed him to where James and Remus had settled.

McGonagall must not have come up with a good enough excuse to kick the nongriffs out because she moved down the table to pass out more timetables and left the time travelers alone.

"What? You not going to hover around the not James Potter like the others?"

"I'm not in his fan club." Draco took sip of coffee and looked down the table where Granger was grilling Potter. He really did look bad. Draco wondered what he would have to do to get the details of initiation out him. He knew it would be impossible to get it out of any of the real Slytherins.

"Harry, what is wrong with you?" Granger's voice carried down the table.

"Nothing. Though could you redo the charm on my eyes. I don't think I did it right this morning."

"Something is obviously wrong. Something other than your vision. You look like you didn't sleep at all last night and you're picking at your breakfast. I can hear your stomach growl from here but you're not eating. You always do that when your upset about someth ..."

"Hermione, I love you like a sister. I would step in front of a _crucio_ for you. But that does not entitle you to know every little thought that runs through my head. So back off."

_Yes indeed. It sounded like initiations went very well._

8888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888

A/N

Reviews will be read with great attention and appreciation.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Back to classes

Monday

9am

Defense Against the Dark Arts

The whole way to defense, Hermione complained about her schedule, just as she had at breakfast once she stopped fussing over Harry. He almost wished she would go back to telling him how awful he looked. Almost. "I just don't understand why I'm in only seven classes. And only four of them are NEWTs. I went to Professor Flitwick before breakfast and he refused to put me in Ancient Runes or Arithmancy."

"Look at it this way, it leaves you more time to do research for our project." Ron said. Harry stifled his smile. Ron knew her well enough to get her off one tangent and on to another. Unfortunately, Neville didn't take the side trip.

"You know, I don't like my schedule either, I'm not in Herbology but I am in NEWT Transfiguration. McGonagall wouldn't let me in the sixth year class because I didn't have a high enough OWL."

"We can study together, Neville. I missed most of my sixth year being a captive in Draco's basement and all." They all quieted their complaining and looked a Luna. She didn't seemed upset by discussing her kidnapping but honestly with Luna it was hard to tell.

"That's great." Hermione said unsurely, "But I still don't understand why I'm only taking four NEWTs. I'm going to the headmaster about this."

Harry thought his schedule was crap too but he really didn't feel like arguing about it. He had already spent most of breakfast comparing timetables with his five friends. Like the others, he had NEWT level Defense, Transfiguration, and Charms. Most of them had NEWT potions though Hannah and Neville had been put in the fifth year OWL class. The main surprise came in that they were all signed up for one third year intro course. Harry and Hannah would be taking ancient runes. Neville, Luna, and Ron were taking Muggle Studies. And the biggest cause for complaint, Hermione was taking divination.

In addition, they all were signed up for two classes not offered in thier own time; healing, which they would go to straight after defense, and one where the only professor listed was the headmaster. "You can see him tonight as he is teaching the Theory of Magic Class we have after dinner."

"Theory of Magic. Oh I can't wait. "

"Yeah. So what do you think the chances are that the Defense Professor tries to kill me?"

"Don't worry, mate. We got your back. Who is the defense teacher anyway?"

"You never listen. Dumbledore stated at the welcoming feast that Professor Prewitt would be here today but couldn't make it for the feast."

"Prewitt? I would have noticed if he said Prewitt as my mom was one."

"That would be so funny. Your mom teaching defense. 'Then you grab the frying pan and whack him in the head." Harry made the whacking motion with his bag and the others laughed.

"Hey!" Ron protested, slugging Harry in the shoulder.

"Come on, Ron. I'm just playing. You know I love her and she would make a great defense teacher. Remember her wailing on the bitch during the battle."

The room was about half filled when the six of them entered but they were able to get seats together toward the back. Harry sat next to Luna and only tinged a little when his ribs hurt as he bent over to get his book out of his bag.

Malfoy entered with the Marauders. He was laughing at something. Harry wanted to whack him over the head.

"What's wrong?" Luna asked.

"Malfoy's up to something."

"What makes you say that?"

"He is being way too chummy with the Gryffindors."

Luna made a very noncommittal sound and Harry took his eyes off Malfoy to look at her. She looked as whimsical as ever, drawing rainbows on her parchment. "What is that supposed to mean?"

"I just think he is making the best of the situation. Draco is good at that. It doesn't necessarily mean he is evil."

Harry looked back at Draco in time to see him shoot a hex at a Hufflepuff girl sitting in front. She turned back around Harry saw her eyebrows growing down to her nose already. The Marauders plus interloper laughed. "Yeah, not evil at all."

The door to the office opened and two red headed twins came bounding into the room. Harry felt the tears prickle his eyes and looked to Ron. He was in much worse shape. He had grabbed Hermione's hand and was obviously squeezing too hard by the look on her face.

"Good Morning everyone, I'm Fabian Prewitt."

"And I'm Gideon Prewitt."

"As there are two of us,"

"and we are way too young to be professors,"

"You can call us by our first names."

"If you can tell which is which." They both laughed. No one in the class did. Except Ron and his laugh was just a little too chocked up in unshed tears. Ron was apparently having as much trouble as Harry was in getting the sight of Fred lying dead in the Great Hall out of his head. The twin speak was not helping at all.

Fabian sat down on the teachers' desk and Gideon stood sort of bouncing on his toes. Gideon went on talking, "This class is going to be different than your previous courses in defense."

"Yeah, as in we actually know what we are talking about."

"Fabe, you shouldn't put down the past professors."

"As we've been taught by some of those professors, I feel confident in putting them down."

"Anyway, as I was saying. Fabian and I attended Hogwarts, as some of you might remember."

"Best beaters Gryffindor ever had."

"Thanks Black. We graduated five years ago. We then became aurors. We decided to take a sabbatical this year to teach as a favor to Professor Dumbledore."

"He only wanted me but this guy just invited himself along."

"Hush you prat. Now you may have noticed that Defense was only on your time table twice a week. On Monday's and Wednesday's we will all meet up here for Lectures or tests and stuff."

"We are really glad for our seven transfer students as it brought class enrollment up to twenty-four. We are going to split the class in to four groups of six. You will meet in your groups with us twice a week. Once with me, Once with Gideon."

"Do we get to pick our own groups?" Someone asked.

"Absolutely not."

"We will pick the groups based on three things. First, when your time tables are open to allow time for a two hour block. As you can imagine, your practical groups may be after dinner."

"Another factor will be your score on these tests."

A collective groan resonated through the room. What kind of sicko gave a test on the first day? "Don't be like that. You guys are going to love this. The third factor is your practical ability."

Gideon walked to the back of the classroom where all the shelves and pictures had been moved off the wall. "This is a training exercise that they use in the Auror's Academy. As you are taking your test, we will call you up alphabetically. You put the tip of your wand in this blue circle and state your name, year, and house."

"Does everyone in here know how to cast a stunner?"

Nods and words of assent. "Great. The incantation is _Stupefy. _Just in case._"_

Gideon put his wand tip on the blue dot. Said his name followed by professor. Then stepped back. "Start."

A large black dot appeared. He shot it with a stunner. It faded and came back in a different spot. "The longer you play, the harder it gets. If you play long enough, different colored dots appear and if you hit one that isn't black, Game over. If the dot appears and then disappears before you stun it, Game over." Gideon purposely didn't fire and the dot faded. A bell sounded and instead of a dot, a number appeared. Two.

"The game measures three separate areas. The strength of your spells. Strong is better than weak."

"Though weak is better than missing the target at all. So the game measures accuracy. How many of your spells hit the dot."

"Lastly, it measures speed. How long the dot is visible before you stun it. In a fight, speed is imperative."

Fabian passed out the tests. Gideon went back up front for the roster. "Hannah Abbott, you're with me."

Like everyone else in the class, Harry was only partial focused on the test in front of him. Even Hermione kept stealing glances to the back of the room to see how the trainer was going. Every time the bell rang, every head would turn. Hannah scored a twenty six. She was doing well until the dot started to move.

Avery was next and he looked smug at his 46. Until the Blacks went. Narcissa was amazing. Harry looked over to Draco who looked gobsmacked at his mother sending off stunner after stunner. Not only did her dot move. But the colored dots came up as well. She ended up with a 72. Sirius did well also but didn't beat her with a 67.

The written test was tedious. It started with things they were supposed to learn as first years, all the way through their owls. Harry just half heartily filled in the answers. He glanced over to Hermione who looked like she was writing a novel.

The next half dozen or so on the game were uninspiring. Including Barty Couch Jr and both the Carrow twins. None of them scored over a thirty. When the name Celeste Dumbledore was called, Harry whipped around to look at the Ravenclaw girl.

"Isn't she beautiful?" Luna whispered to him.

Harry took a good look at her. Long blonde hair, big blue eyes. "She kinda looks like you. So yes, she's very pretty."

"She's my mom."

"You're a Dumbledore?"

"Aberforth is my great grandfather."

"I didn't know that." Celeste had finished her turn with a 45 and next up was Lily Evans. "There's my mom."

"She's very pretty, also. She kind of looks like Ginny."

"I know. It sort of freaks me out truth be told." His mother did ok with a 42. Hermione was then up and Harry loved how serious she was going up there. Narcissa still held the highest and Harry could practically hear Hermione's thought process. _Have to be the best. Have to be the best._ She only got a sixty.

Alice Greengrass, a hufflepuff, was called next. This time it was Neville watching with teary eyes. She did look familiar, had pretty eyes and a round face. Then Harry remembered where he had seen her before. In the old picture Sirius had showed him of the original order of the phoenix. She had been standing next to Frank Longbottom. She did well beating Hermione by one point.

Neville was called next and Harry grabbed his sleeve as he went past, "You alright?"

"Yeah, I just.. well you know."

"I do." Harry nodded then let Neville go to have his turn on the trainer.

Harry looked over his test and figured he had done as well as he was going to. Some of the curses on the last page Harry new were well above NEWT level. He almost didn't fill in the answers but then figured what the heck. He knew for a fact neither of the Prewitts were death eaters. It wouldn't hurt anything if they knew he wasn't as helpless as his small frame made him look.

Neville finally finished with a sixty five and most the class gave a little cheer. By this time no one was working on the test except Hermione.

"Luna Lovegood." Luna smiled at Harry in that serene way of hers before taking her turn. She did great with a seventy. Remus got a 55 and MacNair only got 52. Then it was Malfoy's turn.

He swaggered to the back and took a dueling stance like they had learned during their second year. Harry wasn't really impressed considering he knew Draco was a crap dueler. He hit a red dot as soon as it popped up and his turn ended with a 35. He looked pissed as he walked back to his seat.

Pettigrew tripped and fell over his own feet missing the wall entirely. His stunner hit the chandelier and wax from the candles rained down on the class. Harry was called as he made his way to the back he stopped next to Malfoy.

"Don't feel bad, Malfoy. If the game had been about cursing the little dots while their backs were turned, you would have come out on top."

Ron laughed and Harry felt better than he had since coming to this hell. Getting one over on Malfoy was always a treat. He keyed his name, year, and house into the game, he even managed not to chock on the word Slytherin. It started out so slow it was almost boring. Harry imagined Snape's and MacNair's faces on the dots and put as much power into it as he could. The dot started to move around the wall and things got tricky.

His sore ribs wouldn't allow him too much range of motion but he blocked the pain and worked through. Then is started throwing in the colors. After fighting death eaters all the time, picking out the black in a sea of color wasn't really all that difficult. It was when there were multiple black dots that he tripped up. The bell sounded, 96, and he turned back expecting a little cheer but there was silence.

Gideon cleared his throat, "you were favoring your right. You need to work that kink out. In a real fight, your opponent would have picked up on that and used it against you."

"I don't usually, my ribs are hurt."

Fabian moved forward and pointed his wand at Harry. Harry couldn't help the flinch. Fabian noticed, "I'm just going to do a quick field diagnostic." One spell later and he was shaking his head. "You have three broken ribs. Go to the hospital wing."

"It's not that big a deal. I have Healing after this. I'll get Madam Pomfrey to look at them then."

"What kind of masochist are you walking around with broken bones?"  
The people who knew him burst out laughing. The rest of the class still looked a little awed. Harry moved back to his seat and James Potter came forward.

"Harry, we've only been here two days, how did you manage to get yourself hurt already?"

"Pure talent." Harry replied though he couldn't help looking over to where MacNair and Snape sat with their heads together. They looked worried as they looked back to him. Good, maybe they will be sufficiently scared and leave him the hell alone. Probably not.

James scored a seventy five, then some gryffindor girl named Trowler did only slightly better than Pettigrew. Ron was up last. Harry admitted that he did look impressive. He was well over six and half feet tall, long dark red hair like Bill. But he was also broad and muscled like Charlie. No one would ever look at Ron and think he looked delicate and pretty. Harry really hated being so small. He was a great dueler as well scoring a 77.

Gideon walked over and tapped the blue dot with his wand, "Seventh Years." Then he tapped the parchment in his hand. He glanced over before handing it over to Fabian. "Ok, everyone. Pass your tests forward."

"We are very impressed with all your scores. Honestly, we didn't expect anyone to actually score above a seventy, which is the minimum requirement for the Auror Academy. To pass the academy and become an Auror, you have to get a 100."

"For the rest of the year, you can come in here to try and up your score any time after dinner and before curfew. Now, as all the student fifth year and above need time to improve, you can only use the trainer twice a week."

"Every Monday at the end of class, the top five students will be announced. The class rankings will be posted on the wall out side."

"For today, drum roll please... first place, awarded 25 points to Slytherin, even with three broken ribs, is Harry potter. Second place, awarded twenty points to Hufflepuff, Ron Weasley. Third Place and fifteen points to Gryffindor, James Potter. Fourth Place and ten points to Slytherin, Narcissa Black. Fifth Place and five points to Hufflepuff, Luna Lovegood."

Gideon moved toward the door and Fabien continued to address the class. "You will receive your group assignments tomorrow morning during mail call. For the first group, think of your favorite defensive charm to discuss with the group. Also bring an example of one thing you would like to learn before the end of the year."

"And for those of you who don't think four times a week is enough, we will be at the Quidditch pitch every morning at 5:30 am for Physical Exercise."Gideon had come back in. "We can't require you to attend the Physical Training. But you can't be a world class dueler if your body isn't up for the strain."

"Till next time. Dismissed."

11am

Healing

"I don't understand how I got ninth." Hermione complained on the walk up to the hospital wing.

"It's just like I've been telling you since fifth year. You over think it." Harry said.

"I wish we had something like that in the DA. It might have prepared us more for the battle. Maybe so many of us wouldn't have died. " Neville said.

"Maybe we can discover how it works and make one for when we get back."

"I'll ask them." Ron said. "I would love to talk to them some. I've been feeling a little homesick."

They were the first ones to arrive at the hospital wing. "Madam Pomfrey, my ribs are hurt, would you fix them please."

She did the diagnostic and just shook her head. "This injury is over twelve hours old. You should have come here immediately."

"Sorry."

"Don't be. Today was going to be all theory but since you presented the option, the class has someone to practice on."

"Oh come on Madam Pomfrey, I promise I'll come right away next time." At least this Madam Pomfrey didn't know him well enough to know that was a complete lie.

"Sit on the bed Mr. Potter. I'll heal it after the rest of the class gets here."

The class was very small. Other than the seven of them, only six other people were in the class including Snape and Remus. As if five years of potions wasn't bad enough, Harry hated that it seemed as if Snape was going to be in all his classes.

Good to her word, Madam Pomfrey started the class off with a lecture about the same diagnostic charm that Fabian had used on him. Then she let everyone else in the class practice on him. Draco, Hannah, Snape, Hermione and Remus were the only ones to come up with the right diagnosis. At the end of class, Madam Pomfrey demonstrated the bone healing charm and made him drink a shot of skele-gro, which she made a point of saying wouldn't have been necessary had he come to her right after the injury happened.

Noon

Lunch

Harry wanted to follow his friends to a table but Hermione reminded them of what McGonagall had said at breakfast and suggested they go to their assigned tables. Harry went and sat next to Narcissa. She turned up her nose in that smell-something-kind-of-funny way that Harry remembered Mrs. Malfoy often did.

"Are you mad at me now?"

"Why would I be mad at you? It's not like I dragged your ass off the cold stone floor and took care of you. Only to have you snub me at breakfast and then sit next to a Hufflepuff during defense."

"I sat with my friends. I don't care what house they are in. I'm sitting next to you now and I want you to know that I really do appreciate all the help you have given me."

She looked at him a little funny but also gave him a smile. Regulus sat down on his other side. "Have you guys had defense yet? That was the best class ever."

"We had it this morning. Did you guys use the trainer?"

"Yep. I scored a 56. We only got through half the class but so far, I'm in the lead."

"That's great Regi." Harry noticed MacNair and Snape listening to their conversation and by the evil look on Narcissa's face, she noticed them too. "I was fourth in our class. Harry was first he scored a 96."

"Holy Merlin, the professors said we need to get our score to seventy by the end of the year. Though I guess I'm not surprised you did so well considering the way you wiped the floor with the other seventh years last night."

MacNair and Snape both looked like they ate something bad. Harry just heaped food on his plate and let Regulus's chatter surround him.

2pm

Ancient Runes

After Lunch, Harry had shook off Regulus and ran back to the Suite for his Afternoon books. Ron and Neville met up there with him and he showed them the trick he had learned that morning about putting his wand on the picture frame to hear what was going on in the common rooms. This time they were watching Ravenclaw as Hermione was talking to Celeste. The discussion was hilarious as Hermione was complaining about having to go to Divination next and Celeste was debunking her every doubt. Harry could really see the resemblance to Luna in Celeste refusing to even acknowledge Hermione's skepticism.

When the two left Ravenclaw tower the three boys realized they needed to get to their first afternoon class as well. Neville and Ron both were signed up for muggle studies and Harry wished he could go with them just to see what the two would think of a toaster.

Harry wasn't sure what to make of his ancient runes class. He would have felt like an idiot if it wasn't for the fact that most the kids in the class were of a height with him. He and Hannah sat in the back. The third year Gryffindors and Slytherins looked at them like they were crazy for sitting together.

Harry asked her something he had been wondering all morning, "Abbotts are pureblood, right?"

"Yeah, why?"

"Is your mother here. I mean we all have parents here, except Ron, but he has uncles. And expect Hermione but her parents are muggles."

"My mom was a muggle."

"I didn't know that."

"That's why they killed her. They would have killed my dad too, but he wasn't home when they showed up."

"I'm sorry. So when did your dad graduate?"

"He was in the same class as Ron's parents. I do have some of my Abbott cousins in Hufflepuff here but they are so young now. I haven't even talked to them."

The professor entered and Harry got out his book to try and learn something new. It was interesting and Harry wished he had taken this class in his third year rather than divination. At the end of class he packed up to head to his next class.

"You're not with us now are you?"

"Nope," Hannah replied. "I was never able to understand potions with the teacher we had. I'm glad they put me in the OWL class here not the NEWT."

"So what do you have now?"

"Nothing. I think I'm going to go back to the Founder's Suite and hang out till dinner. Send Neville my way if you see him."

"Sure. Though he will probably make it there on his own. I can't wait till we have time to investigate the place thoroughly."

3pm

Potions

Harry decided the only thing worse than having Snape as a potions teacher was having him as a potions partner. The man was a git.

"Just because you are good at waving wand, doesn't mean you have a brain. You stir Murlap Essence clockwise. It's a simple potion."

Harry wanted to take the Murlap Essence and shove it up Snape's extremely large nose. Though he did have to admit that their potion was a brighter yellow than anyone around him.

Slughorn was still Slughorn. He gushed over Lily and several other students before assigning them partners and telling them that today they would be required to create three potions for the hospital wing, murlap essence, basic pain reliever, and pepper up.

They weren't even halfway through the first potion and Harry wanted to hurl.

"Go get peppermint out of the storage cabinet."

"I thought we already discussed you giving me orders."

Snape said nothing but went to get the peppermint himself. Narcissa smiled at him, "You can be taught."

"I have no idea what you are talking about."

"You beat him in the duel last night. Now he has to defer to you."

"That could come in handy." Harry said though honestly he didn't know what he would do with it. For now he just watched as Snape made all three potions with no input from him at all. Harry watched as Snape madeseveral notations in his book. Snape may be crap but Harry had no problem learning from the Half-Blood Prince. "Let me copy your notes."

"Excuse me?"

"Your notes. Let me copy them."

"Why you arrogant..."

"Severus, I believe Harry asked you if he could see your notes."

Snape pushed the book at Harry and didn't say anything else. Malfoy was passing by and must have seen the wink Narcissa gave him as he leaned down to whisper in his ear.

"Potter, quit flirting with my mother."

"Or what?"

"Or, I will get James into so much trouble, Lily will never even look at him." Malfoy continued walking.

"Look Harry," Narcissa said drawing his attention back to her, "Pain Reliever. It's yellow, not blue."

"That's because the formula Slughorn follows is antiquated." Now Snape looked at him, "How did you know that the premium pain reliever is blue?"

"I guess I'm not such a dunderhead after all." Though he was glad that Narcissa and Regulus hadn't been trying to poison his this morning.

6 pm

Dinner.

As Harry sat out by the lake during his free period after potions, he remembered a story Sirius told him that long ago Christmas they actually spent together. There was a reason love potions were banned from Hogwarts and it all had to do with a prank the Marauder's pulled their seventh year on their first day of classes. Sirius talked about it because it was the last school wide prank they pulled. As it was, James almost lost his headboy badge over it.

Narcissa was entering the hall when Harry caught up with her, "Cissy, wait. Where's Regulus?"

She glanced into the hall, "He's sitting down."

"Go get him and both of you need to come with me."

"Why?"

"Consider this pay back for you helping me out last night. I over heard those four Gryffindor's talking about something that was going on at dinner tonight."

"Right, be right back."

Regulus looked confused but followed her out of the hall. From what Harry knew of the Slytherin mentorship, he pretty much had to do what she said whether he wanted to or not. "What's going on?" He asked when the two of them joined him in the entryway.

"Did you eat or drink anything?"

"No, the food hadn't been served yet."

"Good, I heard the seventh year Gryffindor's talking about a prank."

"My brother is such an ass. Are we going to warn the rest of the house?"

"No, we are going to go to the kitchen to grab a quick bite and then come back in about twenty minutes to catch the show."

They both looked weary about the plan but followed him nonetheless. Twenty minutes later they walked into the great hall. Nothing was going on. Harry would have thought he remembered wrong but one look at the Gryffindor table convinced him something was up. James and Sirius looked too pleased. Peter kept glancing at his watch then the Slytherin table. The commotion started slowly.

A third year Slytherin yelled across the table, "Don't eat that carrot. Please, don't hurt my love."

"That Sheppard's pie is mine. I love Sheppard's pie. I'm going to write home to father tonight telling him I'm going to marry my Sheppard's pie."

MacNair was snogging a chicken leg and the boy Carrow was standing up shoving mashed potatoes down his pants. Up and down the table, the Slytherins were declaring love to whatever they had been holding in their hands when the potion kicked in.

8 pm

The Theory of Magic

Harry was still laughing as he made his way to Theory.

"It's good to hear you laugh," Hermione noted from behind him. "I honestly don't remember the last time I heard you laugh like that."

"I guess there hasn't been much to laugh over lately."

"Though that wasn't very nice."

"Oh come on, It was already starting to wear off before dinner was even over." Ron said.

He entered the usually empty classroom just down the hall from Dumbledore's Gargoyle. He took a seat in the middle, Ron sat to his right and Hermione to his left. Hannah, Neville, and Luna sat in front of them. Malfoy entered and took a seat in the back corner as far from them as he could reach.

Four other students took seats up front. Severus Snape, still clutching a dinner roll in his hand, sat next to Narcissa Mal.. Black. Lily sat over by Neville who was going shades of red staring at the Hufflepuff girl, Alice Greengrass. Harry wasn't surprised at all when Celeste Dumbledore entered.

Dumbledore entered the room and asked them all to stand. He vanished all the desks and conjured puffs. "What are you waiting for? Take a seat."

"Professor Dumbledore, I'm not sure what I'm doing here. I didn't sign up for this course." Narcissa said taking the puff next to Harry. Hermione looked put out for a moment then moved over to sit next to Ron.

"I know. You were chosen. This castle is an amazing piece of life, work and history. It told me that the twelve of you would be in this class. And I haven't taught my own class in many years. I'm looking forward to imparting some of my knowledge to you."

"I don't know if I can handle another class," Celeste said. "I don't want to take away from study time for my NEWTs."

"Celeste, this class, if anything, will make studying easier. Now we will be discussing many things this year. Some of them will be things you find easily done. Some maybe things that your friend can do easily but you can't do at all. If you can't do something, it in no way means you are a bad wizard. That would be like saying a painter is less of an artist than a singer. We all have gifts. Do you follow?"

There were nods all around so Dumbledore continued with his lecture, "Some things will discuss this year are the theory of concepts that if you study for fifteen years you might be able to do." The class must have looked a little confused as he clarified, "Like wandless magic. Almost anyone can do it. But it takes study and dedication."

"You're going to teach us to do magic without a wand?" Snape sounded incredulous.

"No, I'm going to teach you how to do it. Doing it, is left entirely to you. But first we are going to practice clearing your mind and organizing your thoughts. With a well organized mind, you can accomplish great things. Remember every book you ever read, ever lecture you ever heard."

Hermione was practically vibrating with excitement and Harry was glad that Ron was sitting between them. "This process is very individualized. It involves visualizing a construct. It can be anything you hold dear. If I were talking to Madam Pince, her construct would probably be the library, Hagrid might be the forest, and Professor Slughorn might see a potions cupboard. I visualize my childhood home. The construct you use needs to be something you are comfortable thinking about in great detail. The better detailed your construct is, the easier it will be for you to store and retrieve your memories. For the sake of example, I will use Hogwarts. You all had defense this morning, you would focus on that memory, wrap it up in say a book and put it on the shelf in the defense classroom in your mind. Though when you do this on your own, I strongly recommend you do not use Hogwarts."

"Why?" Hannah asked, "It seems exactly what you are talking about. Somewhere we are familiar and comfortable with."

"Exactly, you all are familiar with it. So if someone broke into your mind looking for a memory, provided they also attended Hogwarts, they would know their way around. There is only one other living person who knows their way around my childhood home and I trust him not to try and break into my mind." Dumbledore smiled at Celeste and gave her a wink.

"So this is like Occlumency?" Harry asked.

"No. This is organizing your thought so that you can access your own memories more easily. Occlumency is about setting up barriers in your mind so that a Legilimence can't access those memories. If your construct was hogwarts, the barriers would be like wards. There is a difference."

"Are you going to teach us to access other people's memories?" Snape asked.

"Of course not. Occlumency and Legilimency are auror level skills. This class is about Theory."

"So theoretically," Harry continued, "could you teach someone Occlumency without teaching them to build this construct thing?"

"I am not following what you mean."

"OK, theoretically. There is this person who has a mental connection with another person. That other person abuses that connection to send bad dreams and pain to our theory guy. So our theory guy is told Occlumency will block the connection."

"Sounds quite plausible. Though such mental connections to the level you are discussing are so rare as to be nonexistent."

"That's a theory for another class. Anyway, our theory guy is sent to someone to learn Occlumency. The only direction our theoretical person is given is 'clear your mind.' with never any clue how to actually do that. Then the teacher rips into his memories and expects the theory guy to kick him out."

The entire room was quite waiting for the Headmaster to answer. Though the five non time travelers had no idea how far from theory Harry's scenario was, they all looked worried at the lack of twinkling eyes that the Headmaster usually showed. "Mr. Potter. What you are describing would not teach someone how to block a connection. In truth, that kind of ... violation, would blow the connection wide open."

The windows started to rattle. Snape gasped and looked more scared than Harry had ever seen him. "Calm down, Harry."

He shook off the hand Hermione had put on his arm and stood. He gathered his books and left the room. He was surprised it was Luna that followed him out. She fell in step next to him but didn't talk. He made to go left but she steered him right toward the great hall.

They entered the small closet in the entrance way leading to the Founder's Suite. He moved to sit on the couch but she took his hand and pulled him toward the door to the room of requirement.

"What are we doing, Luna?"

She paced a few steps before smiling up at him and opening the door. It looked like a china shop. Delicate little plates and glasses lined shelves. "Therapy." She picked up a glass and held it up for Harry to see. Snape's face was printed on the outside. She tossed it across the room where it made a very satisfying crash.

8888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888

A/N - I know this was extremely long. But it was one of those things that kind of wrote itself. I almost put it into two separate posts but oh well. I got this done early. But I still have time set aside to write this weekend, so the next post will be up Next Monday.

I don't know how to thank you enough for the reviews. I think that is what got me so motivated to write this today instead of Saturday.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

More classes, same problems

Harry woke slowly. He couldn't remember the last time he had slept so well. Probably not since before his name had spit out of the Goblet of Fire. No nightmares. No pain. He moved to stretch and realized his movement was constricted by the body laying next to him.

Luna was still sleeping. He hardly remembered their night of vandalism. He did remember that when he finally yelled out his frustrations he had felt much lighter. He had felt a little weird when Luna had pulled him in the bed and laid down next to him. He really wasn't used to such intimate touching. He stared at her for a second before shrugging his shoulder and spooning up behind her again. Her hair smelled kind of sweet but also spicy. Like radishes. He had never woken up with another person before and couldn't believe how nice it was. Luna was soft and warm and fit perfectly next to him. Good thing she was so petite.

He glanced up to the picture of the Slytherin common room. One of the fifth year girls was sitting a table in the corner working. She must be the house Hermione. No one else was about. Harry figured it was way too early to care so closed his eyes to go back to sleep.

It seemed no time had passed at all when someone was shaking him awake. Ron and Neville stood next to the bed, both were wearing t-shirts and shorts, sweaty, and red faced.

"Come on, Mate. You need to come down to breakfast. We are getting our defense group assignments this morning."

"How did you know we were here?"

"Luna didn't come back to Hufflepuff last night. We all figured we would give you some time to calm down." Ron said moving over to allow Luna room to sit up at the edge of the bed.

"Why are you dressed like that?"

"We went to work out with the Professors." Neville said. "You alright?"

"I will be."

Luna gave him a serene smile, "I'm going to go take a shower."

"Do you want us to wait for you?"

"No, I'm going to go back to Hufflepuff."

"I'll come with you, Luna. I don't have any clean stuff here. It'd probably be smart if we left a change of clothes up here."

"I'm going to go back to my dorm, too. Do you want me to come back to walk to breakfast with you?" Neville asked

"No, thanks. I'll see you at breakfast. Thanks for coming to wake us up." Harry stretched, freely this time. It only took him a few minutes to shower and change. Knowing Hermione she was probably already at breakfast. He would let her fix his eyes.

The great hall was still almost empty for the most part. He looked over the Ravenclaw table but didn't see any bushy headed girls. Regulus was sitting at the Slytherin table and Harry sat down next to him.

"You weren't in dorm again."

"How do you know? Do you spy on the seventh years?"

"No, I heard MacNair and Avery talking about it. If you don't show your face there soon, you're going to loose what advantage you gained on initiation night."

"Would it surprise you if I said I didn't really give a damn about any advantage."

"Yes, that's what Slytherins do after all."

Snape sat down across from Harry and Regi. He looked like he was going to say something but then changed his mind. He must have changed his mind again because he looked around the table for listeners before casting a _Muffliato_. "What was that scene in class last night about?"

"Why?"

"I'm just interested in knowing more about that blocking technique you were talking about."

"You've never heard of Occlumency?"

"I have." Regulus offered. "My father is a firm believer in keeping your mind organized. I'm surprised you've never heard of it Snape. Isn't your mother pureblood?"

Snape looked like he wanted to strangle Regulus. Harry had seen that look enough to know what it meant. "I don't see what my mother's blood status has to do with anything."

"Purebloods always teach their kids discipline including keeping your mind and emotions under control."

"That's not true. My friend Ron is a pureblood and his family doesn't practice anything like that. Neither do any of my other friends' families."

"Malfoy said he knew Occlumency." Snape said

"He's not my friend. Regulus, can you teach us Occlumency?"

"Sure. I mean honestly, I'm not very good at it. I'm way better than Sirius but I still have a lot to learn. I can tell you how to make shields but I can't test them, I tried Legilimency on my mom's house elf and I think I broke it."

"I think I'd like to get shields put up then we will worry about finding someone to test them for us."

"Ok, first you have to organize your mind."

At that moment, Hermione plopped down at the Slytherin table next to Harry. "Just what I wanted to talk to you about. You and Luna left before Professor Dumbledore could explain the exercises."

"Why are you sitting here? I thought you said we should follow the rules and only sit with our own houses."

"Stuff the rules. Are you ok?"

"Yeah, but I'd love for you to renew the charm on my eyes."

She shook her head with a sort of fond indulgence but did as he asked. She started fixing her a plate. When the owls arrived with the mail she eagerly took hers before sending it on.

Luna arrived at the Slytherin table with a small scroll in her hand. "I'm with you Harry. I'm glad. I like the way you teach."

Harry removed the little scroll with his name on it from the owl so it could go on to it's next delivery. It hopped straight across the table to Snape. "So you are. Snape, too. As are Alice, Celeste, and Remus. First meeting tonight straight after dinner."

"Uhh. Lupin." Snape sounded thoroughly disgusted.

Harry decided to ignore him. "Luna, Hermione, how are your schedules this afternoon?"

"I'm free from lunch to dinner. Then defense with you." Luna said.

"It looks like my group is to meet the two hours before dinner."

"Who's in your group?" Luna asked Hermione

"James, Lily, Narcissa, Avery, and Draco. Merlin, what am I going to do with all those stuck up people?"

"Lily isn't stuck up. She is smart and nice." Snape blushed and Harry wanted to laugh. Snape really did have a thing about his mom. That was almost nauseating.

"So Hermione, can you meet with me and Luna after lunch to go over the stuff Dumbledore was talking about?"

"What about learning Occlumency?" Regulus asked.

"Definitely, but I got to get those exercises down first right?"

"Right." Regulus sounded bummed and Harry wondered why. He didn't think on it too long as another school owl landed before him. Talk about nauseating. The scroll had very familiar handwriting. "Hermione, I have to meet with Dumbledore today after lunch so I'll meet you in the suite after that."

"You shouldn't have walked out of class last night. Come on. We have to get to Transfiguration."

Transfiguration went much like every other class he had ever taken with McGonagall. She started with a speech about the importance of NEWTs and then started a review of everything they did in their sixth year. She also assigned them an essay and reminded the seven time travelers they had to make up the summer homework. Harry was really feeling lost. At least he didn't look as shell shocked as Neville.

They were currently milling around the Charms corridor waiting for their next class to start. Hermione, never one to let time idle away, was discussing finding time to start figuring out plans for changing the future.

Hannah didn't like the idea of actually intervening themselves. "Why can't we just go to Dumbledore and tell him what happens so he can avoid it?"

"He knows we are from the future but has he asked? No. He has actually avoided talking about it as much as he can," Harry pointed out.

"Plus, messing with time is illegal. If they actually believed us..." Harry looked back to where Hermione was staring at a Hufflepuff boy who was obviously listening to their conversations. "This is not the time for this discussion, let's all meet this Saturday to discuss it."

Flitwick opened the classroom so the younger kids could leave and ushered the older kids inside. He started in on the importance of the NEWT year and Harry tuned him out.

88888888888888888888888

The gargoyle guarding Dumbledore's office was still ugly. Thankfully, his note had included a password. Harry knocked on the door at the top of the revolving staircase and was bid to enter. He turned down offers of both tea and lemon drops before the headmaster got to the reason for this visit.

"Are you ok?"

"I'm fine, sir."

"I ask because you looked very upset when you left my class last night."

"I was upset. Luna helped."

"Is there something you wish to tell me?"

"No sir." Harry replied being careful to look at Dumbledore's shoulder and not into his eyes. Maybe he was being paranoid but he did suck at Occlumency. Assuming of course that he actually knew anything about occlumency.

"If that's it then, I'm worried about the information you missed in class, the exercises we discussed are the foundation for what we will be doing for the next term. If you and Ms. Lovegood intend to continue in the class..."

"Hermione is going to go over the exercises with us. Actually, they are waiting for me right now."

"Good, Good. Now, Professor Slughorn has alerted me to the fact that you have not stayed in the dorm the last two nights."

Harry was astounded. Over his six years at Hogwarts, he was out of bed past curfew more times than he could ever recount. No one had ever called him on it unless they actually caught him out.

"I don't know what the rules at your last school were like, but here, you must sleep in your assigned room."

"Professor, Hogwarts was my last school, you know that."

"Pardon me?"

"I attended Hogwarts. In the future." Harry couldn't believe the look of absolute astonishment on Dumbledore's face. "We told you all about it when we landed ourselves here."

Harry couldn't remember ever seeing Dumbledore at such a loss, "Be that as it may. You must sleep in the Slytherin room you were assigned."

"I am sleeping in Slytherin's Room. In the founder's suite."

"The what?"

"I'm sorry Professor but either you have overdosed on the lemon drops or you need to go see Madam Pomfrey. I have a place to stay."

"You still have not given me a reason you can not stay in the dorm."

"Professor, I'm not safe in the dorm."

"I don't understand. From what the Professor Prewits told me, you are more than capable of taking care of yourself. They were really impressed with your abilities."

"Yes, I'm capable when I'm awake. Which means I could never sleep in the Slytherin dorm. I'm safe where I am, Professor. Remember? Just ask Tippy."

Dumbledore didn't look convinced but called the elf. "Tippy, Mr. Potter assures me that he has a safe place to sleep and is not out causing problem."

"Yes Professor sir. He staying in the Founder's Suite."

"And where is this suite."

"It's everywhere."

"Tippy, last night was I in my room and asleep by curfew."

"Yes."

The Headmaster didn't look convinced but didn't call Harry an all out liar to his face. Harry was left wondering why the Headmaster seemed to have no memory of something they had already discussed. Unless he was just pretending for some odd reason. Who knew why Dumbledore did half the things he did.

888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888

Author's Note Time. I love hearing your thoughts on the story. Thanks for the reviews. Keep them coming.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter Nine

The First Full Moon

Lupin looked liked crap. If it wasn't for that, Draco may have forgotten altogether about the fact that he was a dirty animal. That and he overheard them talking about the full moon, though he pretended that he didn't. They were wondering what they were going to do with him. He hated that he actually wanted to make things easier on them.

Living the last three weeks in Gryffindor was odd. The level of camaraderie was almost enchanting. Or it would have been if one didn't know the marauders were harboring a rat and two of the sixth year boys turn deatheater.

For now he lay on his bed in the red in gold hell and listened to Potter the senior give excuses about Lupin having to visit his sick mother. He didn't know where the other three had gotten off to. James must have drawn the short straw. Or it was just he was the best liar. Peter stuttered worse than Longbottom when lying, Black turned all red faced and well Lupin really had looked like crap while going down to breakfast.

Draco just nodded and decided to change the subject. "Have you decided when you are holding the quidditch trials?"

"They are coming up in the next week or so. You said you played, are you going to try out?"

"Which positions are open?" Draco asked though he doubted he would actually play. No matter how much he missed the game, red was just not his color.

"None really. We have the entire team that played last year but since four of us are graduating this year, we are going to have to put together some reserve players or the house will be screwed next year."

"I thought you were the only one in the dorm who played."

"I am... now. Sirius was one of our beaters but he got into some trouble during fifth year and was banned from the team."  
"So how can four people be graduating?"

"They're girls idiot. The other chasers, the keeper and the seeker. Drives Lily crazy being surrounded by all those quidditch players."

"Lots of things drive Lily crazy."

"So I've noticed. You ready to go down to lunch?"

"I'm meeting up with the others."

"Why do you give up every Saturday to people you say you hate?"

"I don't know but I might not come back tonight. You know Scarhead has that private room, I think I'll just hang out there."

"You hate him."

"Yes I do." Draco thought that for as often as he thought it, it would be nice if it were true. But it was hard to hate someone who he owed a life debt to. "Anyway, Hannah and Luna aren't so bad."

"Which are you shagging?"

"How do you know it's not both?" Draco wiggled his eyebrows. "Tell the other guys, I'll see them tomorrow."

8888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888

So far, this Saturday lunch was going pretty much exactly like the two previous. The other six were all filling each other in on the gossip and crap that he really didn't care about. They sat around the conference table in Founder's suite. The chair to his right was the only empty one at the table. Hannah sat to his left.

"I have to go and harvest some mooncalf dung. Would you like to go with me tonight?" Longbottom said to Hannah, "I went and talked to Hagrid and he said there is a whole herd of then that live in the glen in the forest."

"Now there is a romantic date. Hey, would you like to go pick up some shit with me." Draco imitated Neville's soft stutter. "Wait, you can't."

"Excuse me?"

"Tonight's the full moon."

"Yes, I know. That is when you harvest mooncalf dung." Longbottom said as if to a small child.

"And who is it I share a dorm with? Snape told me those stories of them out roaming the forest."

"Crap, he's right. It isn't safe for you, Neville." Potter agreed.

"But I promised the Herbology Professor I would do it."

"You're not even in Herbology." Weasley said.

"You're not on the quidditch team but you were out flying yesterday."

"Had to use a school broom, too. It was awful."

That led into a long conversation about quidditch that Draco tuned out. He had finished eating was about to get up to go to the lab when Granger actually brought the conversation around to what they were supposed to be discussing.

"I finished comparing out timelines. The problem is that none of us remember any specific details about attacks and stuff. I mean Moody once showed Harry a picture of the original order of the phoenix and told Harry what happened to each of them but not the when and where. Like we know Fabian and Gideon die but we can't exactly follow them around to try and stop it."

"So what do you suggest? After all, Weasley said that you could actually kill the dark lord." Draco said. After everything that bastard put his family through Draco truly wanted him dead. Preferably, very painfully.

The trio looked at each other giving off those annoying, 'we know each other so well we don't need words' vibes. Potter just nodded and started talking, "Do any of you know what a Horcrux is?"

8888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888

Draco bottled up the potion carefully. Sirius wanted to prank the OWL years as school had barely started and they were already starting to get on everyone's nerves. It wasn't anything too bad. Just a simple color change potion. So simple that working on it had kept Draco's hands busy while he thought over the Dungbomb of information that had been thrown at them after lunch.

Voldemort was crazy. No doubt about it. That he had done something so dark as split his soul wasn't surprising. That he had a muggle father was. All that time, all that talk, his father knew it. Potter said that the night Voldemort returned, his dad was there, and Voldemort had talked about his muggle father.

Draco crossed to the sink to wash any potion residue from his hands then rubbed the small of his back. It was late. He was glad he wasn't returning to the dorm tonight, he really was sick to death of red. He moved to Slytherin's bedroom. Potter was asleep in the large bed.

Draco would have closed the door but he caught sight of his mother in the viewing pane. She was sitting in the Slytherin common room talking to Regulus and Severus. Draco quietly moved into the room over to the picture. He ran is fingers down the glass. He missed his mother so much. He had tried to talk to her but she was overly polite and then moved off. She wasn't his mother.

Potter made a distressed sort of sound in his sleep and Draco turned toward the bed. Potter's hair was thrown back over the pillow and his scar shown clearly on his forehead even with only the low light from the viewing window shining through the room. Draco didn't realize he had moved closer to the bed till his knee brushed the coverlet. Potter was gorgeous. He looked so much better now that he wasn't wearing those awful glasses. There were three empty potion bottles on the night stand. He lifted one to smell. Dreamless Sleep. If he had taken this, he shouldn't be moving or dreaming. Potter shifted again. Maybe these bottles were old. Even incompetent here should know you can't take the potion that often. Draco wanted to reach out and touch his scar. It had always fascinated him. Potter rolled over and Draco moved out of the room.

_Red and Gold it is._

_Or not. _As Longbottom was already asleep there snoring loudly and sprawled all out covering the whole bed.

He then tried Ravenclaw but Weasley and Granger were curled up around each other. Ugh. That was so something he could have lived his entire life without seeing.

Hufflepuff was the only choice left and while yellow was worse than red, a bed was a bed. And that bed was occupied also. Hannah and Luna also slept. There was a large space in between them and Draco wondered what they would do if he just crawled up between them. They were definitely a better option than Longbottom.

Hell, he wasn't really all that tired. He moved out and closed the door slowly. Maybe he would just read. He went over the door that lead to Ravenclaw's study and went up the stairs to her tower room. Next to the potions lab, this was his favorite room in the Founder's Suite.

It had large comfortable couches and walls lined with books on every subject. Though now that he was up here, he didn't really feel like reading. He moved out to the balcony that ran around the circumference of the tower. Several telescopes were set up along the walkway but Draco just moved to the battlements and stared down at the lake.

He was glad he didn't scream in fright when someone touched his shoulder but he did almost jump over. "Luna! I didn't hear you come in."

She moved to stand beside him, "You don't have to avoid me. Or isolate yourself so much. If you gave us a chance, you might even like us. Or at least some of us."

Draco couldn't bring himself to look in those too big eyes of hers, "I don't see me being friends with Potter."

"I don't see you even trying to be. That's where you are going wrong."

"You've never told them about what happened, did you?" He asked quietly.

"Why would I?"

"So they could beat me to a pulp and splash in the puddles of my blood."

"I've never held you responsible for what happened, Draco. I thought you knew that. You and your mother protected me as best as you could."

"I don't understand where this forgiveness is coming from. If I had been the prisoner I would plan out a wondrous revenge plan."

"You were as much a prisoner as me. Look, a falling star. Did you make a wish."

"A wish... I don't know what I'd wish for." The night was cold. His breath made little puffs of clouds. A thestral soared up above the canopy of the forest before flying back into the thick woods. "When I was little all I had to do was wish for something and my parents would get it for me. Once the Dark Lord came back, no matter how hard I wished for anything, it all went to shit. I could wish us home but I don't think I want to go back, ever. Live when all those people are dead. Be sent to Azkaban. Have to look my father in the eye. I feel like everything he told me about our world was a lie. I like it better here. I wish my seventh year had been like this. Fighting with Potter. Pranking the underclassmen. Playing Quidditch. I wish we never had to have a war. I wish I had never had to hurt you." Draco couldn't believe the words that were tumbling from his mouth. These were things he had never said even to himself. He could feel the tears running down his face but he didn't try to wipe them away.

"You were a much better option than Dolohov. I was so happy when Harry and the others got me out before Dolohov came back to take up where he left off."

"He couldn't have. Mother slipped an impotence potion into his tea."

"I do like your mother."

Luna lay down on the stone balcony and crossed her arms across her chest. Draco moved into the study and got a couple pillows and a throw blanket. He went back out and handed one of the pillows to Luna before lying down next to her and covering them both with the blanket but being careful not to touch her.

"Why are we here, Loony?"

"I don't know. But I like here, too. It's weird being in Hufflepuff. They really are that nice. No one in Ravenclaw was ever that nice to me. The only real friends I ever had were Ginny, Harry and the others."

"I never had any real friends at all. Just people who wanted my influence, or protection."

"I told you. Try with Harry, Hermione and Neville. They are great."

"I notice you didn't name Weasel."

"Harry and Hermione first. Ron will be a hard case, even I'm not so out of it to know that. Actually, he may be the reason the Puffs are so nice to me. The first night in the dorm, one of the boys didn't like a story I was telling about the pink skinned enrumpt. Ron stood up for me and told the guy to back off. Haven't had a single problem in the house since then."

Draco was glad that she had someone to protect her, "Not exactly cute and fluffy is he?"

"No, but he is fierce and loyal. Like a good Hufflepuff should be. Get him on your side and you'll never get rid of him."

"That almost sounded like a threat."

8888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888

A/N I have quite a bit to do this weekend so probably won't have time to work on this till next week. Next wed at the absolute latest.

Hope you like it. The conversation between Luna and Draco came as a surprise to me too. I love it when the characters I'm writing about reveal secrets even I didn't know.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Settling in

"Good morning every one. I have an announcement to make." Draco sighed into his coffee. Monday's were entirely too long to start off having to listen to him. "This year, it has been decided that we will celebrate Halloween in true style."

Draco looked to the sunshine yellow robes the Headmaster was wearing and just rolled his eyes. The old coot wouldn't know style if it jumped up and pulled on his beard. "For the first years, Hufflepuff House is going to host a night of games and such. The second year party will be hosted by Ravenclaw House, the third years by Gryffindor House, and the fourth years will meet in the Slytherin House. The fifth through seventh years will have their celebration here in the Great Hall."

Excited chatter filled the room. The Gryffindors surrounding Draco were all smiling and pleased. Again, Draco missed the Slytherins. He knew if he looked behind him he wouldn't see smiles but disgust at the thought of opening their common room for kids from other houses.

"Now everyone, as I know you are all excited at this turn of events, as you should be, the first Hogsmeade visit will take place this Saturday so you can look for costumes or new robes."

Now the excitement really rose and no one noticed when the headmaster sat down. Who cared if it was a Hogsmeade weekend? The castle had provided them with clothes, books, and supplies but not Galleons. There was nothing worse than shopping and not being able to buy anything.

Not that it mattered if he did have access to his vault, the committee had already decided that the first Hogsmeade day would be spent in searching out Gaunt's shack. So far, the search hadn't been going to well. The crown Potter and his cronies were looking for during the battle was not where they remembered it being. Or the room had changed quite a bit in twenty years. Either way, they had spent the last two Saturday's looking for it with no luck.

Draco was not that happy about the Halloween celebration either. First off, he had no Pansy here. She really was the best fall back girl a guy could ever ask for. Second, he didn't even know anyone to ask to a party like that. The two girls and three boys who had flirted with him in Gryffindor house made him sick to his stomach. These people were actually as old as his mother.

He turned around to look back at Narcissa. Like usual, she was sitting by Regulus who was sitting by Potter. They were like the new golden trio. Narcissa smiled at Potter and gave him one of those coy looks that girls give boys. Potter seemed oblivious but Draco's blood ran cold. What if they changed the past and Potter ended up being his father?

Merlin, He would kill Potter dead before inheriting that hair.

Potter laughed and nudged Regulus with shoulder. That was his family over there making nice with Potter.

"I hope you're planning a nice prank and not murder."

"What?" Draco asked Sirius.

"That was a pretty intense look you got there. Want to prank the Slytherin's. Snape is such a great target."

"Actually, I would love to prank Scarhead. Do you have anything in mind?"

Sirius turned to study Potter, "Regi seems to like him so he can't be any good."

"Oh, he is definitely evil."

James huffed and dropped the paper he was reading in disgust. "Witches or wizards unknown my ass. They know exatctly who is behind these raids. Why don't they print the truth?"

"Prongs my man, don't get yourself worked up. We will ace our NEWTs, get accepted to the auror academy, then save the world. But right now we got something important to discuss. It's time to prank a slytherin."

"I've finally got Lily talking to me. I don't want to mess around with Snape and tick her off."

"I'm not talking about snivelous. I'm talking about the not James Potter."

"What did he do?"

"He got sorted into Slytherin."

"I guess you're right, that is a good enough reason. Got a plan?"

"I got something better than a plan. I've got the location of a boggart."

Draco sat back and took another sip on his black coffee. Luna wanted him to make a friendly overture. Well here it was. He was getting James and Sirius to pay Potter some attention. Scarhead wouldn't even know what hit him.

888888888888888888888888888888888888888

The defense class was just winding down when Fabian went up to do the Monday tally. "It looks like Harry Potter is still in the lead. Though I'm surprised your score hasn't gone up now that you're not injured."

"I haven't had time to try again."

"Everyone needs to practice, even those naturally gifted in Dueling. If you don't find time to put in a try, you will do it at the start of next Monday's class in front of everyone. Now, James Potter and Sirius Black now tie for second at 81. That puts Ron Weasley in fourth place with 80 points and Narcissa Black in Fifth place with 75 points."

"Great job everyone."

The class started to file out. Luckily, most of the committee had already left with only his mother waiting as Potter packed up his bag. Draco rushed to hold Potter back like planned, "You'd love that wouldn't you, Scarhead?"

"What are you talking about now?"

"Oh come on, we all know how you love to show off. You probably running through your dueling moves in your mind. Always playing for the crowd."

Draco saw Sirius stick his head back in the room but didn't take his eyes off Potter. "You are such a prat."

"Sing a new song."

"Kiss my ass." He turned toward the door and bumped his bag against Draco as he twirled. Draco couldn't contain his smirk.

"You look like you're planning something."

Draco looked up to his mother. She always could tell when he was up to something. "I have no idea what you are talking about." The laughter from the hall seemed to belie that. They both turned to run for the commotion.

88888888888888888888888888888888888

Harry had no clue what the hell was wrong with Malfoy, except for the constant personality issues, but he'd always been like that. Luna had asked him to cut Malfoy some slack and because it was her, he had tried.

It wasn't until he passed a snickering James and Sirius that he realized he maybe should be on his guard. As it was, the mops falling out of the closet at his feet had him drawing his wand on reflex. The swirling black mist was eerily familiar until it formed in front of him in the shape of a large arch with a long black veil. The whispers and voices called to him. Sirius laughter echoed through the corridor.

He could almost hear his own agonizing screams and feel the soild band of Remus' arm around his waist. Only now it was Hermione desperately holding him from behind and the only sound was that of laughter and until Sirius said, "Curtains I say. It'll be curtains for you."

He was vaguely aware of Ron coming up on his left. He landed a solid punch on Malfoy's jaw which would have been satisfying if Malfoy had not flown back toward the veil. Harry screamed.

Malfoy quickly approached the veil. Harry tried to pull free but Luna had joined Hermione in pulling him back away from the whispering voices. No matter how much Harry really disliked the git, he really didn't want to watch another person fall through.

Pop.

A swirl of smoke and the arch began to change form. Malfoy ended up landing on his arse at the feet of the snake faced Lord Voldemort.

He scurried back away crab style from the apparition that was coming toward him. He stopped when he came to the obstruction that was Harry still being restrained by his two friends. Malfoy reached up and took Harry's wand.

"Riddiculus"

Pop. Voldemort was still there but on his once bald head was a blonde curly wig topped by a diamond tiara. His flowing black wizard robes were replaced with a pink sparkly tutu. And to top off the outfit, the breast of his tutu was adorned with a large glittery gold lightning bolt.

Neville was the first to laugh. The other time travelers quickly followed. Harry was laughing so hard that he fell to the floor next to Draco.

Hermione stepped forward and banished the boggart back into the closet. "That wasn't funny. I understand you idiots like to think you're clever, but that was just mean." She then addressed Draco, "After everything that we have been through to pull something like that..."

"What's the big deal? Sure the snake guy was a little weird but I really don't see how someone could fear curtains." Sirius said with a sneer.

Harry was no longer laughing but tears were still staining his face. He didn't wipe them off. "Last time I faced a Boggart it was a dementor. Would that have been better?"

A/N

I hate it when Authors post little notes about how sorry they are that they are posting late. But I'm sorry; I haven't forgotten this story at all. I blame the holidays.

I'm posting this story as I write it. And the writing was actually going pretty well. But because I'm not plotting it out, each new section is a surprise and I've had to go back and change some things in early chapters. Nothing too big. Also I got a little stuck so I went back to reread the earlier chapters for clues. In rereading, I did a little revising. Again, nothing too big. Just cleaned up some of the grammar, added a few action tags to clarify dialogue. That sort of stuff. I hope it's better. If anything still seems vague, shoot me a review and I'll try and fix it.

Real Life is rearing its ugly head so I give no guarantee about when I'll get time to post the next chapter. But I do guarantee that it will get posted.


End file.
